The Security Council, meeting once again amid the 19-month brutal war raging in Sudan that has led to the world's largest displacement crisis, rejected today a draft resolution intended to bolster measures to protect civilians and increase humanitarian aid access.
The draft, submitted by Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom, garnered support from 14 members but was vetoed by the Russian Federation.
By the text, the 15-member Council would have condemned the continued assault by the Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher and demanded that it immediately halt all its attacks against civilians in Darfur, Al Jazirah State and Sennar State and elsewhere in Sudan. Further, the Council would have demanded that the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces honour and fully implement their commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, including to take all feasible precautions to avoid and minimize civilian harm, refrain from using civilians as human shields and safeguard the needs and necessities indispensable to their survival.
By other terms, the Council would have called on the parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and engage, in good faith, in dialogue to agree steps to de-escalate the conflict towards urgent agreement on a national ceasefire, as well as on humanitarian pauses and arrangements to ensure the safe passage of civilians and the delivery of adequate humanitarian aid. Additionally, it would have called on the warring parties to ensure that civilian objects, including hospitals, schools, places of worship and humanitarian facilities, as well as humanitarian and medical personnel and their means of transport, are protected from attack, consistent with international humanitarian law.
Russian Federation's Speaker Says Draft Rejects Government of Sudan's Right to Control Border and Security as Well as Protection of Civilians
Notwithstanding the consultations among Council members for which the meeting was suspended at the outset to facilitate agreement, the representative of the Russian Federation, in his explanation of vote later in the meeting, said "the main problem with the UK draft" is that it has a false understanding of who bears responsibility for the protection of civilians, and border control and security control in the country, of who should decide on inviting foreign forces in Sudan and with whom should UN officials cooperate to address existing problems. "It should solely be the Government of Sudan […]," he stressed, pointing to "UK authors who are clearly refusing Sudan that right". "Our country will continue unfailingly to use its veto to prevent such events from happening for our African brothers," he added, categorically rejecting the use of external accountability mechanisms.
United Kingdom Speaker Calls Russian Federation's Veto of Draft 'a Disgrace'
"This Russian veto is a disgrace," declared David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, Council President for November, who spoke in his national capacity. The United Kingdom, together with Sierra Leone, sought to bring the Council together to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan to protect civilians, ensure aid access and call for a ceasefire, he said, deploring that "one country stood in the way of the Council speaking with one voice. "Shame on Putin for waging a war in Ukraine and for using his mercenaries to spread conflict and violence across the African continent […] for pretending to be a partner of the Global South while condemning Black Africans to further killing, further rape, further starvation in a brutal war," he said. His country will continue its work to call for more action to protect the people of Sudan, he said, stressing: "The UK will not forget Sudan."
The representative of Sierra Leone, co-author of the text, said the Council's 1999 decision to endorse the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNASMIL) with the protection of civilians in Sierra Leone marked a turning point in the conflict in his country, which ultimately led to the Lomé Peace Accord. The draft resolution did not mandate troop deployment in Sudan in line with the Secretary-General's assessment, he pointed out, but it would have conveyed solidarity and established mechanisms to prevent further atrocities.
Council Members Deeply Concerned About Plight of Sudanese amid Unrelenting Violence and Hostilities
Council members were united in their deep concern about the plight of Sudanese people amid unrelenting violence and hostilities, and in regret that the Council was not able to adopt the resolution due to a veto.
Two fellow permanent Council members joined the United Kingdom in calling out the Russian Federation. The United States' delegate said it is "shocking that Russia has vetoed an effort to save lives", "but Sudan supports the resolution". Moscow is "playing both sides" to advance its own political objectives at the expense of Sudanese lives, she observed, adding: "Russia claims that it is 'for' and 'with' Africans, but votes against the resolution supported by Africans, for Africans."
France's delegate underscored that the Russian Federation's veto was "without any convincing justification". "The situation in Sudan is disastrous," he stressed, emphasizing the urgent need for the Council to call for a ceasefire. The humanitarian crisis can only be settled if weapons are laid down, he said.
Joining that appeal, the Republic of Korea's delegate said "an immediate nationwide cessation of hostilities is the most effective way to protect civilians in Sudan". He urged both parties to the conflict to work expeditiously towards a robust, transparent mechanism to ensure their commitments translate to meaningful progress on the ground. He further called on parties to take additional steps including the lifting of time restrictions to facilitate unimpeded humanitarian assistance. Mozambique's representative underscored that the warring parties are "duty-bound" to minimize the conflict's impact on civilians.
Protecting Civilians Is an Obligation, Not a Choice
The protection of civilians is not a choice, but an obligation, underscored several speakers. Among them was Switzerland's representative, who stressed to Council members, that despite today's veto, "we have a responsibility to continue to give our full attention to resolving this catastrophic conflict". Slovenia's delegate added: "We simply cannot observe a tragedy from aside." The relentless violence against women and girls is beyond comprehension, she stated, stressing that "silence is not an option in the face of such egregious violations". Malta's representative, spotlighting the indispensable role of women and girls in all levels and stages of dialogue and decision-making, said: "Their work in advancing civilian protection needs and political mediation deserves our continued support."
Japan's speaker, echoing concerns about the prolonged humanitarian and human rights situation in Sudan, said his country's Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, in his recent visit to Sudan, urged General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for ceasefire and humanitarian access. "Japan will not leave them [Sudanese people] behind as a responsible Member State…" he emphasized.
Council Must Be Guided by Respect for Sudan's Independence and Territorial Integrity, Not External Solutions
China's representative noted that some Council members' constructive proposals were not taken on board and their legitimate concerns were not given sufficient attention. Any Council action must truly respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Sudan. Moreover, it must be based on thorough consultation with the Government of Sudan and relevant parties. Imposing external solutions will only further complicate the situation and will not help bring an end to the war nor serve the goal of protecting civilians, he warned.
Algeria's delegate concurred and called for "the strong and public condemnation of foreign interferences in Sudan", as well as full respect for the established sanctions regime and the arms embargo by all Member States. The Council's response must be guided by full respect for Sudan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, he emphasized, adding that the Council must take into account the "real conditions on the ground", as described by the Secretary-General, as well as the views of the Government of Sudan.
Ecuador's representative emphasized that: "Food insecurity and famine declared in various regions of Sudan are realities, which should not be politicized." Although the text did not explicitly refer to those facts, its adoption would have facilitated the arrival of humanitarian assistance to those most in need, particularly women and children, he pointed out. Echoing other speakers' support for the efforts of the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for the Sudan, he said his country will continue to support all regional and multilateral efforts for sustainable peace.
Sudan's Speaker Says Foreign Interventions Aim to Fragment His Country
The representative of Sudan said the current narrative that "this is a war between two parties is one of the reasons why we have not reached an agreement on describing this war". The Council is still hesitant to name the aggressors although it knows who they are, he pointed out. "We did not know that efforts were made secretly to stop arms consignment to militias and mercenaries," he added, noting that those consignments have significantly increased after extension of the Adre crossing opening to facilitate humanitarian work. To stand by the Sudanese people and stop the war, one cannot be neutral or passive, he underscored, pointing to foreign interventions that aim to fragment Sudan and strengthen the militia and mercenaries, who enjoy causing "a deliberate genocide" against Sudan to serve the agendas of international actors that are sponsoring them.
He called on the Council not to turn diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict into "international tutelage pushed for by certain actors" for their own interests, and, moreover, to prevent the United Arab Emirates and regional affiliates to send arms to new generations of militias. He further urged the Council to condemn armed gangs and terrorist gangs from the Sahel and neighbouring countries, who, he stressed, are perpetrating atrocities, displacing people, and bringing others in to occupy the homes of his fellow Sudanese. Expressing thanks to the Council for their peace efforts, he said Sudan is ready to work with the Council to stop the war, condemn militias and stop the flow of arms across its borders by implementing a plan to protect civilians.
