President,

Over one and a half years of conflicts with no sign of deescalation in sight and the worsening humanitarian situation on the ground have put millions of innocent Sudanese civilians in the face of multiple challenges, including war, natural disasters, and diseases. In this context, the renewal of the sanctions measures will go some way towards stemming the steady flow of illicit arms into the battlefield and calming down and deescalating the situation on the ground. This is what the international community wants and what this Council has duty to do, and that’s why China voted in favor of the draft resolution that was put to a vote a moment ago.

We renew our call for the parties to the conflict to put their country and people’s interests first, respect international humanitarian law to the letter, and provide maximum protection to civilians and civilian facilities without causing further harm or damage. We hope all member states will observe the arms embargo provided for in the resolution and together take constructive and tangible actions to help the country cease hostilities and return to lasting peace.

On the other hand, as China has stressed many times, sanctions are a means, not an end. They must not replace diplomacy, much less become a tool of political pressurization in the service of some countries. At this moment, the Council should channel more of its energies into pushing the parties towards dialogue and engagement in search of a political solution, while helping Sudan build up its humanitarian response capacity to stop the humanitarian crisis from worsening even further. In this process, the international community should respect Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and try to secure more support and cooperation from the Sudanese Government. The penholder should likewise fully respect the Sudanese Government’s legitimate concerns and aspirations and effectively forge greater consensus among the parties without slipping in political self-interests.

Thank you, President.