President, 2024 has been a year of unimaginable suffering for the people of Sudan.
Disease. Displacement. Violence.
In August, the Famine Review Committee confirmed famine in Sudan. Upcoming food security assessments are expected to be even worse.
2025 must be different.
On this, I will make three points.
First, amidst continued conflict, this Council has rightly focussed on improving humanitarian access. We now need to see delivery and aid actually reaching the millions of people in need across Sudan.
We welcome the agreement by the Sudanese Armed Forces to extend the permissions on the Adre crossing and for the establishment of humanitarian supply hubs.
But as Secretary Blinken said, this is not enough, not nearly enough to meet the scale of need. Humanitarian access must be expanded to all civilians in need, whether they live in SAF or RSF-held areas.
We therefore call on the Sudanese authorities to authorise further humanitarian hubs, particularly in Zalingei, Darfur.
We also call on all sides to ensure additional cross-line routes; safety guarantees for aid workers; and the lifting of all bureaucratic impediments that too often obstruct the provision of aid.
Second, this humanitarian crisis requires a concerted and robust international approach, including by the UN. We welcome the updates on the Emergency Relief Coordinator’s visit to Sudan and urge for this bold leadership to continue.
We must collectively strive for a system-wide response that delivers better outcomes for the Sudanese people.
Donors must support these efforts by finding new ways to diversify our funding, supporting both the UN and local Sudanese responders at the front line of the response.
Third, President, we condemn the RSF attacks on ZamZam IDP Camp and drone strikes in El Fasher, which killed civilians and ground hospital operations to a halt.
Last month, the UK and Sierra Leone tabled a resolution to address both parties’ disregard of their Jeddah Declaration commitments to protect civilians.
Despite Russia’s veto, 14 votes in favour sent a clear signal of the international community’s focus on the need for the warring parties to comply with Jeddah and with other international human rights and humanitarian commitments.
We urge the warring parties, yet again, to engage meaningfully with existing diplomatic initiatives towards a lasting national ceasefire and political solution, including the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Mr Ramtane Lamamra.
President, 2024 will be remembered as the year the warring parties created the world’s worst displacement crisis and a man-made famine they could have prevented.
It is within their power to end this suffering and ensure peace in 2025.
The world will be watching.
