President,

I thank Secretary-General Guterres for his briefing. I have also listened to the statement by the representative of the civil society. I welcome the presence of the representative of Sudan at today’s meeting.

The conflict in Sudan has been going on for over 18 months, which has led to significant casualties and destruction of infrastructure as well as unprecedented displacement. This is both harrowing and concerning. Recently, a new round of hostilities between the parties to the conflict erupted in Khartoum, Al Gezira, Darfur, and other areas with a notable increase in the fighting intensity, making the humanitarian situation even more serious. I would like to make the following points.

First, greater efforts should be made to promote a ceasefire. As the conflict rages on, civilians of Sudan bear the brunt. China has taken note of the report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in Sudan. As the report points out, the most effective way to protect civilians is to put an end to the conflict. China believes that the relevant Council resolutions on ceasefire should be implemented, the commitments by the parties in the Jeddah Declaration should be fully honored, the situation on the ground should be cooled down and deescalated as soon as possible, and the spread of the conflict should be avoided by all means. We call the parties to the conflict to put the interests of the country and people first, pursue a political settlement instead of military confrontation, return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible, and realize a ceasefire at an early date. The Council has a special responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and should play a more active role in promoting a ceasefire.

Second, greater efforts should be made to promote good offices and mediation. China has always believed that no matter how great the differences and disputes between the parties, the door to dialogue must not be closed. We encourage countries with influence on both parties to the conflict to play their due role, support Personal Envoy Ramtane Lamamra’s continued close communication and coordination with all parties, and support solving African issues in the African way. We welcome stronger consultation and cooperation between the AU, IGAD, the Arab League, and other regional organizations on the one hand, and the Government of Sudan on the other, and call on the international community to promote synergy in mediation. It should be emphasized that in the process of resolving the Sudan issue, the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the country must be effectively respected.

Third, greater efforts should be made to provide humanitarian assistance. At present, the humanitarian efforts in Sudan are seriously underfunded. The inflow of aid is a drop in the ocean compared to the actual needs. We call on the international community, in particular traditional contributors, to fulfill their funding commitments as soon as possible. China welcomes the recent announcement by the Sudanese Government to increase humanitarian delivery channels, and encourages the UN and the Government to strengthen cooperation in promoting humanitarian access, so as to ensure that the aid can reach the Sudanese people in need. It should be emphasized that humanitarian operations should focus on helping people in dire situations to save lives, and must not be politicized or even used to seek selfish political interests. In the long term, we should also increase our support to Sudan in agriculture, health care, infrastructure, and other areas, and help it enhance its capacity building in food security, epidemic prevention, and disaster reduction, so as to effectively safeguard people’s well-being.

President, 

Since the outbreak of the conflict, China has provided Sudan with multiple batches of food and medical supplies, and has recently launched in cooperation with the UN a poverty alleviation agricultural assistance project in the country, which is expected to benefit 400,000 people. China is ready to continue to do its utmost to help Sudan alleviate the humanitarian situation and play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability in the country.

Thank you, President.