United Nations (TDI): Pakistan urged on Sudan’s warring parties to re-engage in negotiations to end a war that has been ongoing for more than 21 months, emphasizing the Sudanese people’s suffering must be brought to an end.
Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram, said in a speech to the UN Security Council, “We call on both sides to implement the commitments made under Jeddah declaration on protection of civilians and the facilitation of humanitarian action to fulfill the emergency requirements of the Sudanese people.”
The warring parties — the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, — had pledged a smooth transition of power to civilians after a military coup toppled president Omar al-Bashir’s government in April 2019.
Five years later, the SAF and RSF failed to fulfill that promise, and their inability to reach an agreement on how to rule the country resulted in war on April 15, 2023.
The Pakistani envoy said that the blatant violations of International Humanitarian Law with impunity must stop, and the suffering of the Sudanese people must be brought to an end.
He said that the conflict in Sudan has caused immense human suffering, where close to a quarter of Sudan’s population, at least 11 million people have been displaced and three million have sought refuge in fragile neighbouring countries.
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Another 25 million face acute hunger and countless innocent lives have been lost, Akram added.
“The Sudanese people have suffered unimaginable atrocities during the nearly two years of the violence,” Ambassador Akram said, pointing to RSF’s recent attack on Saudi Hospital in Al-Fasher in which over 70 innocent lives were lost.
Pakistan Condemns RSF’s Atrocities
Extending Pakistan’s condolences to the victims and their families, Akram said RSF has consistently displayed “utter disregard” for International Humanitarian Law and committed similar atrocities in Al Geneina, Al-Fasher, Al-jazeera, Khartoum as well as other places.
“Islamabad firmly upholds the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sudan,” the Pakistani envoy said.
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“We urge an immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” he said, adding, “The parties need to find a sustainable political resolution through peaceful ways. The humanitarian crisis in the must be addressed.”
