PRESS RELEASE : The UK calls for collective international action to end the bloodshed in Sudan – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 September 2023.
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.
Thank you President. I also thank SRSG Perthes and Ms Wosornu for their briefings, and Ms Adil for her powerful story. I also thank the Permanent Representative of Ghana for his report on the work of the 5091 Committee.
I would like to begin by paying tribute to SRSG Perthes, and through him, the UN staff in Sudan and the region for all their work under extremely challenging circumstances. This includes strenuous efforts towards a political solution. Volker Perthes has been a tireless advocate of peace and a true friend of Sudan. We thank him for his service.
President, the conflict is now entering its sixth month. During that time, neither the Sudanese Armed Forces [SAF] nor the Rapid Support Forces [RSF] have acted in the interests of the Sudanese people.
In urban areas, civilians are trapped without access to food, water, or basic services due to continued aerial bombardments, largely, as we have heard, by the SAF.
While in Darfur, reports of widespread sexual violence, ethnically motivated killings, forced recruitment of child soldiers and the burning of villages by the RSF and its allied militia are truly abhorrent.
President, the bloodshed needs to end. We call on the SAF and RSF to negotiate in good faith in the interests of the people of Sudan.
The rich tapestry of Sudan’s civilian groups, supported by its neighbours and the UN, can play a vital role in support of the aspirations of the Sudanese people for a better future.
And we need collective international action to help end the violence, secure humanitarian access and establish a credible political process. In this regard, we support a leading role for regional actors, including IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development], the AU [African Union] and Sudan’s neighbours.
Mr. President, the United Kingdom remains committed to the Sudanese people. We will continue to work with our international partners to ensure that those responsible for this brutal conflict are held to account.
Thank you.
