7912nd Security Council Meeting: Sudan and South Sudan

Against the backdrop of significant security progress and improved cooperation with the Government of Sudan, the United Nations and the African Union should consider amending the mandate of their joint peacekeeping Operation in Darfur, stressed the head of that mission, at 7912th meeting

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 01:48:28
• Production Date: 4 April 2017
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Corporate Name: AFRICAN UNION-UNITED NATIONS HYBRID OPERATION IN DARFUR - UNAMID
• Subject Topical: ARMED GROUPS; CEASEFIRES; DISPLACED PERSONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS; SOUTH SUDAN SITUATION
• Geographic Subject: DARFUR; SOUTH SUDAN; SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 1861271
• Parent Id: 1860806

Description

Jeremiah Mamabolo, Joint Special Representative of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), said a strategic review was already under way to plan for the eventual departure of the 10-year-old mission. In the meantime, its “pragmatic reconfiguration” — which must not compromise the gains made so far — would be necessary.

Describing recent progress made in Darfur, he said fighting between the Government and the three main armed movements that were non-signatories to the 2011 Doha Document for Peace had considerably diminished. Meanwhile, the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid (SLA/AW) had been weakened and was no longer capable of mounting and sustaining significant military operations. The Government had been able to take control of areas previously held by that movement in and around the heartland of Jebel Marra, leaving the group with a few pockets of resistance.

In addition, he said, the unilateral ceasefire that was extended by another six months in January was largely holding and other armed factions had also declared an end to hostilities. However, SLA/AW consistently refused to do so, and against the backdrop of economic hardship and social depression, banditry and criminality continued to be wide-spread. Durable solutions were also needed to enable the return of thousands of civilians displaced during 2016, he said.

Following the briefing, Council members expressed support for UNAMID’s committed work over the past decade, even as some speakers echoed calls for its drawdown and reconfiguration. Egypt’s representative declared: “The Security Council must change the way it deals with the situation in Darfur in a manner commensurate with the developments on the ground.” Calling for international support to the African Union High-level Implementation Panel’s peace process and regional mediation efforts, he added that the Council should consider taking action against the military leaders that refused to join the process or obstructed its progress.

While several speakers welcomed the increased cooperation between UNAMID and the Government of Sudan, others voiced concern that the latter was still not doing enough to protect civilians. The representative of the United States, in that regard, said the Government had tried to obstruct UNAMID from day one and continued to stand by when local disputes turned bloody. The Council must determine whether the mission’s size and force structure were appropriate; meanwhile, it should also assess Government progress against the benchmarks set and be willing to act if necessary.

The representative of the Russian Federation agreed with other speakers that many challenges remained in Darfur and expressed concern that the peace process was at a standstill. However, “the Government can hardly be blamed for this”, he said, emphasizing that negotiations had fallen apart because of the rebels. Stressing that the Council should consider imposing sanctions on those intractable groups, he warned against “foot-dragging” in UNAMID’s drawdown and exit strategy, which could have negative implications for its relationship with the host country.

Sudan’s representative also addressed the Council, emphasizing his Government’s “unprecedented progress” in ensuring stability and security in Darfur. Nevertheless, the opposition movement remained obstinate and continued to receive outside support. The great improvement in Darfur’s security and humanitarian conditions, as well as the reduced activity of rebel groups, proved that UNAMID was no longer the right framework for the international presence, he said, urging a shift in focus towards development and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants.

At the meeting’s outset, the Council President for the month, Nikki Haley (United States), expressed condolences to the people and Government of the Russian Federation for the 3 April deadly attack on the Saint Petersburg Metro.

Also speaking were the representatives of the United Kingdom, Uruguay, Ethiopia, Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Sweden, Italy, France, Ukraine, Bolivia and Senegal.

The meeting began at 10:05 a.m. and ended at 11:53 a.m.