Thank you, President, and thank you Ambassador Hwang, for your
update this morning. The United Kingdon wishes you every success
chairing the 1591 Sanctions Committee.
President, we are approaching the one-year anniversary of this
conflict. It has had a disastrous impact for the Sudanese people,
especially in Darfur where over half the local population face
acute food insecurity.
The imperative to silence the guns could not be clearer. The
United Kingdom therefore repeats this Council’s call for an
immediate ceasefire, including during the month of Ramadan.
We further call on the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support
Forces to adhere to their obligations under international
humanitarian law, including to protect civilians.
We are extremely concerned by reports of atrocity crimes,
including widespread sexual violence, as well as reports of child
recruitment. It is vital that the perpetrators of atrocity crimes
are held to account.
President, UN Member States are obligated to fully comply with
the arms embargo and we call on all Member States to refrain from
external interference in this conflict, and instead support
efforts towards a cessation of hostilities, building towards a
durable peace, and civilian transitional government in
Sudan.
In closing, President, we welcome the renewal of the UN Panel of
Experts and remain grateful for their reporting. Thank you.
