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Remarks by Ambassador Geng Shuang at the UN Security Council Briefing on Sudan

2022-12-07 16:44

Madam President, 

I thank Special Representative Volker Perthes for his briefing, and welcome the Permanent Representative of Sudan to today’s meeting.

China welcomes the signing by Sudanese parties of the Political Framework Agreement last Monday, which marks an encouraging step for Sudan to break the political impasse and restore political transition. We appreciate the coordinating role played by the UN-AU-IGAD Trilateral Mechanism, and call upon the non-signatory political forces to join as soon as possible. It is believed that all Sudanese parties can seize the current positive momentum, remain engaged in dialogue to reach a solution to outstanding issues, and bring the political transition back on track.

No country can achieve political transition overnight. It must rely on the painstaking exploration and persistent endeavors of its own people. Sudan is no exception. The international community should uphold the Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned principle in supporting Sudanese parties to continue the dialogue and consultation for the stead advance of the political transition. Pressure Sudan by way of canceling economic aid and debt relief is nothing short of collective punishment to the Sudanese people. Instead of helping to solve problems, such practice would lead to serious economic and humanitarian consequences, therefore must be abandoned.

Madam President,

The recent inter-communal violence in Blue Nile and West Kordofan are worrying. The Sudanese Government deployed in time security forces to the incident areas, helped disputing communities reach the ceasefire agreement, and took a series of measures to stabilize the situation. These efforts are worthy of recognition. Inter-communal conflict is a perennial plague for Sudan, with many violent clashes having to deal with land disputes and livestock rustling. We need to employ security, development and other means to address the claims of different communities in relation to resource allocation, defuse inter-communal tensions, and strive to eliminate the root causes of conflict.

According to the Secretary-General’s report, the recent situation in Darfur has been relatively stable, with the drop in large-scale violence, which won’t be possible without the sustained efforts by the Sudanese Government. The Security Council’s sanctions on Sudan are no longer relevant to the developments on the ground. These sanctions hinder the Sudanese Government’s ability to carry out security operations and to effectively protect civilians in Darfur, and therefore should be adjusted in a timely manner until they are finally lifted. The Council not being able to develop benchmarks for adjusting sanctions on Sudan in the past two years is regrettable. Sanctions cannot be used as a political tool to exert pressure on Sudan. China urges the penholder to, when discussing sanctions renewal this coming February, make substantive improvements to the text, so that the Council can set clear and realistic benchmarks for adjusting sanctions without further delay.

Madam President, 

Affected by torrential rains, floods, and global food and energy crises, Sudan’s economic and humanitarian situation remains extremely fragile, with 1/3 of its population in need of humanitarian relief. In 2022, the UN humanitarian response plan for Sudan is only 41% funded, falling far short of Sudan’s humanitarian needs. China calls on the international community to increase its assistance to Sudan, and welcomes UNITAMS’s holding of the friends of Sudan meeting. We look to the Mission to strengthen its work in helping Sudan’s economic development and peacebuilding. 

As a good friend and partner of Sudan, China has been committed to assisting Sudan’s development and bringing benefits to its people. Recently, China signed with Sudan a new bilateral economic and technical cooperation agreement. The Omdurman China-Sudan Friendship Girls’ High School project has been completed with Chinese aid. China has also implemented a maternal and child health care project in collaboration with UNICEF in Sudan, benefiting over 70,000 local people in west Darfur. We will step up strategic and operational alignment with Sudan, and continue to assist the country to the best of our ability, with a view to enabling early peace and development in Sudan.

Thank you, Madam President.

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