Sudan and South Sudan - Security Council, 10077th meeting

The 10,077th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is: Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan. The agenda is adopted. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Egypt, Sudan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. On behalf of the Council, I welcome His Excellency Mr. Kamil El-Tayeb Idris, Transitional Prime Minister of the Republic of the Sudan. And I request the protocol officer to escort him to his seat at the Council table. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Khaled Khayri, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations; Ms. Edem Vosorno, Director of Operations and Advocacy, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; and Mr. Cameron Hudson, independent analyst and consultant on African security, governance and geopolitics. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item 2 of the agenda. I would like to remind everyone that this is an official meeting of the UN Security Council. Being fully aware that today's briefing is not an easy one for anyone in the room, I would like to particularly remind all participants and speakers at today's discussion to engage in this meeting with utmost respect and to observe appropriate standards of tone, wording, and content in their remarks. I now give the floor to Mr. Khaled Kiari.

Mr. President, since the Secretariat's last briefing on Sudan in October, the conflict has again intensified. confirming fears that the dry season will bring increased fighting and renewed attacks on civilians. Each passing day brings staggering levels of violence and destruction. Civilians are enduring immense and unimaginable suffering with no end in sight. In recent weeks, the conflict has centered in the Kordofan region, where the Rapid Support Forces have made significant territorial gains. 1 December, the Rapid Support Forces captured Babanuzza in West Kordofan, followed on 8 December by their capture of Heglig in South Kordofan, an oil field and critical processing station for South Sudanese crude oil pumped to Port Sudan for exportation. Kadugli and Dilling, both in South Kordofan, are now under tightening siege conditions. Reports indicate that Sudanese armed forces personnel withdrew from Babanuzza and Heglig into South Sudan, and that South Sudanese forces moved into Sudan to protect the Heglig oil infrastructure. Beyond Heglig, movements of armed groups across Sudan and South Sudan's border have been reported in both directions, with potentially destabilizing effects for both countries. These developments reflect the increasingly complex nature of the conflict and its expanding regional dimensions. If unaddressed, Sudan's neighbors could become embroiled in regional conflict in and around Sudan. Mr. President, for months, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights has warned of the dangers of the escalation of hostilities in the Kordofan region. and called for urgent action to prevent the repetition of atrocities documented in North Darfur and El Fasher in particular. A particularly alarming feature of the conflict is the growing use of indiscriminate drone strikes by both parties, which are causing significant civilian deaths. On 4 December, drone strikes in Kalougi, South Kordofan, hit a kindergarten and then the hospital where victims of the initial attacks had been taken for treatment. More than 100 people were killed in this despicable attack, including 63 children. On 13 December, drone attacks targeted the UN logistics base at the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism Headquarters in Kadugli, South Kordofan. Six members of the Bangladeshi peacekeeping contingent serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, UNISFA, were killed and nine others injured. UNISFA has launched an investigation and is working to preserve evidence under challenging circumstances that would help identify those responsible. Due to prevailing insecurity, all UNISFA personnel are being evacuated from Kadugli until further notice. As the Secretary-General has stressed, attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law and call for accountability. The safety and security of our peacekeepers is non-negotiable. In addition to the rising civilian death toll, there are concerns about increasing cases of detention of civilians accused by one party of "collaboration" with the opposing side. In November, OHCHR documented that 93 civilians were arrested and detained in the Kordofan region for reasons of collaboration. Mr. President, the continued supply of weapons, increasingly sophisticated and deadly, remains a key driver of the conflict. Sudan is saturated with arms. Calls to end these flows have gone unheeded, and there has been no accountability. Meanwhile, the parties remain unwilling to compromise or de-escalate. While they were able to stop fighting to preserve oil revenues, they have so far failed to do the same to protect their population. The backers of both sides must use their influence to help stop the slaughter, not to cause further devastation. Mr. President, preventing a further deterioration of the situation and preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Sudan requires swift and coordinated action. The Secretary-General's Personal Envoy of Sudan, Ramtan Lamamra, is in contact with both warring parties to encourage them to engage in discussions on concrete and implementable measures to de-escalate violence and advance the protection of civilians in Sudan. Personal Envoy Lamamra is engaging closely with members of the QUADS. Consistent coordination of peace efforts is essential to increase our collective impact. Equally important is the deepening collaboration among the quintet of multilateral organizations, the African Union, European Union, IGAD, the League of Arab States, and the United Nations. Together, we are currently focused on supporting an African Union-led inter-Sudanese dialogue. that can pave the way for a credible, inclusive, and civilian-led transition. To support these efforts, the Office of Personnel of OAMAM is developing a consensus document aimed to synthesize the visions put forward by Sudanese political actors and prominent individuals. The goal of this exercise is to identify convergences in views that can assist Sudanese stakeholders in shaping a credible political horizon. To foster complementarity and coordination of peace efforts, preparations are underway for the fifth consultative meeting on enhancing coordination of peace initiatives. The next meeting is expected to be held in Cairo, Egypt, in early 2026. Mr. President, As mediation efforts continue, the strong support of this Council is needed. With the conflict nearing the tragic milestone of 1,000 days, the Secretary-General has renewed his call on the parties to agree on an immediate cessation of hostilities and to re-engage in talks toward a lasting ceasefire and an inclusive and Sudanese-owned political process. We urge the Council to send a clear, united message Those who enable this war will be held accountable. We also look to the Council to use all the tools at its disposal to demand peace, protect civilians, and ensure accountability for violations of international law. The United Nations is fully committed to working with all international actors to end the violence and to support an inclusive path towards peace and security for the sake of people of Sudan and regional stability. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Mr. Kyari for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Adam-Vosorno.

Thank you, Mr. President. As this catastrophic war nears the 1,000-day mark, its devastating toll on civilians continues to expand and intensify. The brutality of this conflict appears to have no bounds. The Cordofan states have emerged as a new epicenter, as you've heard, of violence and suffering, with attacks continuing, causing death, injury, destruction, and severely constraining humanitarian access. As you have heard from DPPA in South Cordofan state, more than 100 civilians were killed in drone strikes, between 4 and 16 December, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. This includes strikes on a kindergarten and a hospital in Kalogi on 4 December, which killed, again, at least 89 civilians, including eight women and 43 children. Sieges around the towns of Kadugli and Dele have tightened, with deadly shelling and drone strikes continuing. As you've heard, a strike on the UNISFA logistics base in Kadugli on 13 December forced a temporary relocation of UN and INGO personnel from various locations in South Kordofan, including the two besieged towns. Despite widespread condemnation, attacks in the area further intensifies. On 14 December, a drone strike on a hospital in Dilling reportedly killed at least six people injured 12 others, including medical personnel. An inter-agency humanitarian team led by the humanitarian coordinator, Ms. Denise Brown, scheduled to arrive in Kadugli on 15 December, was unable to proceed due to the increasingly volatile and unpredictable situation. United Nations convoy did reach Dilling and Kadugli in October, but faced very serious security challenges en route. In North Kordofan State, the situation has been equally alarming, with continuing attacks in and around the capital, El Obeid, and reports of forced recruitment of civilians being prevented from leaving the area as fighting closes in. A strike on a World Food Programme truck in North Kordofan on 5 December, in which a driver was seriously injured, was yet another demonstration of the grave risks humanitarian workers face across most of Sudan. This was the sixth attack harming World Food Programme assets in Sudan this year alone. And in West Kordofan, we have also received reports of further displacement, including across the border with South Sudan. and of civilian casualties due to drone attacks following the takeover, as you've heard, of Heglig in the southern part of the state earlier this month. Last week, local authorities in White Nile State report some 1,600 new arrivals from Kordofan region and the city of Kosti, of whom the vast majority were children and women. Mr. President, Staggering levels of humanitarian needs also persist across Darfur. Efforts to safely access El Fasher continue, with ongoing discussions on the deployment of a security assessment team. We continue to see new reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law during and after the takeover of El Fasher by Rapid Support Forces. including mass killings and sexual violence. A report of our colleagues at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights last week details some of the horrors inflicted on civilians in the area during the Rapid Support Forces three-day offensive on Zamzam displacement camp in April. Deliberate killings of civilians, gruesome sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, and the prolonged blocking of food, water, and the supplies essential for survival. Humanitarian responders in Tawila and Adaba and other areas are struggling to fully cover the needs of new arrivals from El Fasher, with resources and capacity severely stretched, despite new injections of funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund and the Sudan Humanitarian Fund. And while much of the focus of the Council's recent discussions has been on El Fasher and its surrounding areas, we must also highlight the very serious humanitarian situations in other parts of Darfur. Again, a drone strike on the town of Katila in South Darfur State earlier this month killed over 30 civilians and injured many more. Further civilian casualties were reported in another strike in the town of Kutum in North Darfur on the same day. Last week, the World Humanitarian Organization reported the large numbers of health workers detained in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. The World Health Organization has documented 65 attacks on healthcare in Sudan since January. With more than 1,600 people killed and 276 injured, The Adre crossing from eastern Chad remains indispensable to humanitarian operations across Darfur, and we therefore noted with great alarm reports of an alleged drone attack causing a large explosion in a nearby location in West Darfur on 7 December. Drones also continue to extend the reach of the fighting beyond Darfur and Kordofan region. Last Friday, Multiple explosions were reported in Atbara in River Nile State due to drone strikes reportedly targeting power stations, triggering widespread blackouts in the area. We have teams in all these locations. Mr. President, this is OCHA's 10th briefing to the Security Council on Sudan this year. Month after month, we have highlighted deadly attacks against civilians, sparing needs and the complex array of impediments that delay or block efforts to reach the millions of people who require urgent, lifesaving humanitarian support. We have urged the Council to use its collective influence and the full set of tools at its disposal to reduce the unacceptable risks civilians continue to face We have pressed for de-escalation and peace. We have appealed for additional funding so that the local and international responders working in nearly impossible circumstances have the support and resources they need to deliver their work. But over the past year, we have seen yet more atrocities and a further hardening of the apparent impunity that fuels them. Increasingly sophisticated weaponry flowing into the country has caused the violence to spread further, deepening food insecurity and new areas falling into famine conditions. Additional waves of displaced civilians fleeing for their lives, including across borders, with broader regional destabilization effects growing. Humanitarian organizations being forced to cut back on lifesaving programs. just as the needs continue to grow. Relentless attacks on humanitarian personnel and health workers. Repeated targeting of essential infrastructure. Despite the challenges, Mr. President, the humanitarian response continues, with 16.8 million people receiving some form of humanitarian support since January this year alone. Our system is under unprecedented strain. and increasingly under direct attack, but it continues to deliver. Mr. President, as the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said during his briefing to this Council in October, we need to find ways to act with greater courage and collective purpose in the face of this absolutely devastating crisis. We therefore renew our call for urgent concerted engagement and action along three tracks. First, on protection, the Security Council must send a strong, unequivocal message that attacks directed against civilians, indiscriminate attacks, sexual violence, and other shameless violations of the most basic tenets of international humanitarian law will not be tolerated. Women continue to carry a disproportionate share of this crisis. The Council cannot allow the horrors that unfolded in Al-Fashir, despite repeated warnings, to occur again in El Obeid, again in Kadugli, in Dilling, or elsewhere. You should please use your collective influence with the warring parties. Second, access. Humanitarian workers, including the local partners, who remain at the forefront of our collective efforts, our dear humanitarian colleagues, must be able to do their work safely and without interference. We continue to strengthen the United Nations presence on the ground in all areas of need, including across the Darfur and Kordofan regions. We have colleagues in these locations. We do not feel safe. Our courageous teams need clearer guarantees so that they can operate safely. Life-saving humanitarian supplies need to flow freely via all necessary routes, whether across lines or borders. In this regard, I note our appreciation to the Sudanese and Chadian authorities for having kept the crucial Adre border crossing available for humanitarian movement. We renew our request that this authorization be extended indefinitely and that support for increased support for host communities and refugees in Chad and other areas continue in other neighboring countries. And finally, peace. with another grim milestone in this nightmarish war approaching, renewed efforts are needed now more than ever to halt the fighting, to stop the arms flow that are fueling the conflict, and to move the parties towards the inclusive and lasting nationwide ceasefire that is so desperately needed. I thank you.

I thank Ms. Vassourou for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Cameron Hudson.

Thank you, Mr. President, members of the Security Council. I'm grateful for the opportunity to discuss the evolving crisis in Sudan and to offer my perspective as an independent political analyst who has spent nearly 25 years engaged in international efforts to achieve a lasting peace, civilian rule, and enduring stability in this increasingly contested country and region. At no point in Sudan's modern history has the state, its institutions, or its people been under such enormous threat from both internal and external forces. The risk of partition, breakup, and new catastrophic levels of violence and death are real and will be further realized if aggressive actions are not taken to end the fighting. Be assured, the effects of such an outcome will not be confined to Sudan. but will destabilize an already fragile Horn of Africa and send shockwaves of refugees and extremists across the Sahel, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean. For nearly 1,000 days, Sudan has been under attack. In that time, this body has warned of the risk of mass atrocities and state fracture. But talk of warning ignores what is already happening. The question is whether, when faced with these shocking realities, the international community will cease simply admiring the problem and take measurable actions that impose costs on the perpetrators and their enablers, offer hope to the victims, and compel the parties towards peace. The same question was posed at the start of the war when the RSF sacked the West Darfur capital of Jenina in a bout of violence so vicious and intentional that the Biden administration then called it what it was, genocide. Had the world responded to that killing with adequate resolve, perhaps we would not be here today. Instead, we are seeing a severe escalation of this conflict. Since the Rapid Support Forces militia completed their takeover of El Fasher in October, the truth around what has transpired is only beginning to emerge. Their crimes represent the worst transgressions of this war, and possibly in all of Sudan's modern history. There is simply no comparison. A city of roughly 1 million people a year ago, El Fasher today has only 70,000 to 100,000 people remaining. As many as 150,000 are unaccounted for, and thousands, if not tens of thousands, have been killed. The only thing worse than these crimes is knowing that they are not over, and that they will be repeated in the days, weeks, and months ahead if you do not respond. The RSF has now set its strategic sights on the neighboring Kordofan states. The siege there now extends to the cities of Dilling and Kodugli, which are already suffering under a famine declaration. With no food, functioning hospitals, or route out of the cities, these populations now have virtually no means of survival. This begs the question, what possible tactical or strategic reason does the RSF have for targeting civilians after the army has already withdrawn? And what, if any, consequences will they suffer for these blatant war crimes? Left unchecked, in the coming days, an all-out battle for the control of the city of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, will emerge. This promises to be the largest and perhaps most destructive battle yet, not merely because of the city's strategic location at the country's crossroads, nor because the city now plays host to well over a million vulnerable people, but because over the course of the last year, this conflict has been transformed. It has morphed by outside enablers from a conventional 20th century war fought with aging heavy equipment and light arms into a modern 21st century conflict, deploying the latest generation of advanced weaponry. The introduction of long range, tactical, fiber optic, and so-called kamikaze drones along with sophisticated jamming technology and armored personnel carriers have replaced the barrel bombs, technicals, and tanks in use at the start of this war. On its surface, smarter weapons should have improved targeting and avoided civilian casualties. But instead, we know that the opposite is true. Civilians, especially those in urban areas, have been subjected to an unrelenting barrage of drone attacks by both sides. Moreover, these weapons have vastly enlarged the scope of the war in ways that respect no battle lines. Every corner of the country is now under threat. Just last week, the northern city of Atbara, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest combat, was barraged in an RSF drone attack targeting an army base, but that knocked out electricity supplies to the eastern part of the country. And just this weekend, a drone attack killed 10 in a market in North Darfur. Weapons from as many as a dozen countries have been found to be in use by both sides in this war in violation of the 2004 arms embargo. Many of the countries providing weapons actively decry the civilian casualties inflicted by the same arms they provide. Still, other countries providing these weapons sit on this very council. But not all countries bear equal responsibility for fueling this conflict. In the last two years, the United Arab Emirates has used influence across the Horn of Africa to construct an extensive military air bridge operation, flying weapons into the RSF via regimes in Chad, Libya, Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Somalia's Puntland region. These efforts have expanded this conflict in ways that have no justification and that are beyond doubt. Mr. President, the situation in Sudan is too dire to accept half truths and obfuscations about the role outside powers play in fueling this conflict. And it is no longer sufficient to decry the crimes of the belligerents alone. If we ignore the war's enablers, then we are all complicit. Against this backdrop of expanding and unrelenting conflict is the faint prospect of peace. Unfortunately, efforts aimed at curbing this conflict or preparing civilian alternatives have not been nearly as coordinated as efforts to arm the combatants. Recent efforts by the United States to form a quad mechanism of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates has seen the most high-level attention and offered some hope for a ceasefire, but so far have produced little by way of breakthroughs. The announcement by President Donald Trump to become more personally involved shines a much needed light on the conflict. Remarks last week by his Secretary of State indicate, however, that the US remains focused on the task of achieving the urgent near-term goals of a ceasefire and humanitarian access. Make no mistake, these are essential tasks that are welcome and must be prioritized. But it will not be possible to break Sudan's long cycle of violence if we are not equally engaged in pursuit of the fundamental goals of institutional reform and civilian rule. Mr. President, those objectives cannot be achieved through elite bargains alone. It will take a sustained commitment from Sudanese political leaders and the international community, neither of whom have been serious enough in their efforts to present or support realistic civilian alternatives to military rule. But the Sudanese cannot do it alone. Just last week, in a sign of Sudan's tightening civic space, peaceful protestors marking the anniversary of the popular revolution that removed President Omar al-Bashir from power were met with tear gas. Other pro-democracy leaders have been harassed, detained, and even disappeared by recidivist forces within the apparatus who fear the long-term erosion of power. It must be said on this score, the disparate efforts under the African Union and the Secretary-General's personal envoy to engage civilian voices have been insufficient to match the urgency of the moment. Nonetheless, these institutions, along with other organizations making up the quintet, remain the best placed to offer opportunities to build broad-based coalitions and heal the social fabric that has been shredded by this war, and create alternatives to rule by force. But those efforts must be unified under a shared mandate. In this regard, We must also not lose sight of the complicated local level, ethnic, social, and resource-based conflict drivers that are too often overlooked in external analyses, but have been exacerbated by this war. In many places, these dynamics drive local violence more than the national or international forces that we focus on. More worrisome still is that these tensions are likely to persist even with an end to the war. and will most assuredly jeopardize any progress toward rebuilding the country if sustained attention is not paid by peacemakers and politicians. Likewise, this council has been equally remiss in its responsibilities towards the threats to international peace and security in the broader Horn of Africa and Red Sea region. It is unconscionable that the international tools we have to end the conflict, punish the perpetrators, and prevent the expansion by outside actors are all two decades old. designed and implemented at a different time for a different conflict. Expanding the arms embargo on Sudan to cover the entire country is an overdue requirement, and genuine efforts should be made to enforce that embargo, which today exists only in the breach. To that end, renewing and expanding UN sanctions on those actors and their accomplices who enable and carry out these crimes of international law must be supported. Talk of condemning impunity rings hollow unless it is backed up by tangible action. And finally, this body must urgently press the International Criminal Court to accelerate its long overdue investigation into the crimes committed at the start of the war, but should also revisit the scope of that mandate that you gave the court 20 years ago to cover all crimes committed in the course of this conflict, not merely those confined to Darfur. Lastly, this body should acknowledge the heroic and irreplaceable work being carried out by Sudan's own mutual aid groups. You should extend to them not only adequate financing to carry out some of the only humanitarian response happening in the country, but offer them greater flexibility in programming to support resiliency and eventually reconstruction efforts. These groups know better than we that which is needed to support their lives and livelihoods. At the same time, ongoing attacks against these groups by the belligerents must be condemned, and this body should extend to these heroes the full protection afforded other organizations under international humanitarian law. Mr. President, Sudan is today on the precipice of state collapse. and risks an exodus of refugees and instability that will plague the Horn and Sahelian states for years to come if we allow it to fail. To avoid this outcome, this council must acknowledge certain hard truths about this war and even the complicity of many member states who have found profit and strategic advancement in this conflict. This is not simply a civil war between warring generals seeking power and personal aggrandizement. It is a fully internationalized conflict with arms, financial, and political networks extending across continents. In this light, the half measures, diplomatic ambiguity, and paralysis that have defined the international response have done nothing to counter these networks, and in fact, have only encouraged the present calamity. If we think that these same networks won't support the region's next war in Chad or South Sudan or Ethiopia, then we are mistaken. Mr. President, Sudan cannot survive if any part of it is governed by a genocidal militia that can challenge the very existence of the state. But nor can it succeed if we allow extremist forces the chance to reemerge and restore their networks of influence that have tormented the region and the people of Sudan for nearly three decades. It will take concerted efforts by this body, Sudan's neighbors, and the wider region to pursue an outcome that allow competing interests to be met. the region to be stabilized, while reserving the latitude for Sudan's people to chart their path forward and realize the promise of their revolution. This is no simple task. But if this Council does not signal its intolerance for this war and its many abuses, and take immediate and meaningful steps to curb war crimes and advance the cause of peace, then I fear that Sudan's war will only be the prelude to wider bouts of regional instability to come. There is no time to waste. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Mr. Hudson for his briefing. I now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements. I give the floor to the representative of Algeria.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the A3+, namely Guyana, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and my own country, Algeria. We wish at the outset to welcome the participation of His Excellency Idris Kamil, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan, and commend his commitment to a peaceful and stable Sudan. We thank ASG Khalid Khayri and Director Adem Warsanow for their briefings. We also take note of the contribution of Mr. Cameron Hudson. President, almost 1,000 days have passed since the outbreak of the conflict of the dear nation in the dear nation of Sudan, a conflict that continues to have devastating consequences for innocent civilians, including women and children, but also on the critical infrastructure of the country. We are appalled by the recent development in the Kordofan region, with reports of mass atrocities committed and where cities are still under siege. And civilian infrastructure, particularly hospitals, schools, and even kindergartens, have become the target of unmanned or, should I say, deliberately targeted aerial vehicle. In this regard, we wish to underline the following. First, addressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation must remain our common priority. While we commend the efforts deployed by the Government of Sudan, we stress the need to sustain and reinforce these efforts. We also call for continued coordination with international partners for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those affected by the conflict. The alarming developments in Kordofan, combined with the already dire situation in Darfur, have naturally led to increased humanitarian needs. In this context, we commend the effort deployed by OCHA in engaging all actors on the ground, particularly the Government of Sudan, to alleviate the suffering of innocent civilians. However, these international efforts cannot yield concrete results without predictable and sustainable financing for the humanitarian response plan, which is around 36% funded only. We therefore call for an urgent scaling up of international funding. Second, President, The solution to the conflict cannot be reached only through the use of force. Only inclusive dialogue and genuine negotiation can lead to a durable solution. Only that is Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned and enjoying support from the broader international community. There has to be a space for international diplomacy, for international mediation, to bridge the positions and views in full respect, in full respect of the national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Sudan with the single legitimate government. However, these diplomatic efforts and initiatives need to be further coordinated, while preserving the central role of the African Union and the United Nations through the Secretary-General personal envoy, Mr. Amtan Lamamra, and building on the achievement realized within the framework of the Jeddah process. We encourage our Sudanese brothers and sisters to engage constructively in dialogue that can lead to a ceasefire. and establish the foundations for a meaningful and homegrown peace process. Intensified diplomatic efforts are more than ever needed in these dire times to prevent further massacres and avert another tragic and future. and fascist-like scenario in the Kordofan region. Also, we seize this opportunity to reiterate our rejection of the establishment of any parallel governing authority in Sudan that undermines the Sudanese state and risk the country's fragmentations. Third, President, the committed atrocities cannot go unpunished. The massacres perpetrated during this conflict, particularly those committed by the Rapid Support Forces in Al-Fasher, in Al-Jenena, in Zamzam Camp, in Wed Medani, and in the Kordofan region, to mention only a few horrific cases. These massacres must be met with accountability. The Rapid Support Forces have not only demonstrated complete disregard for international law, but they have consistently, consistently broadcasted, yes, broadcasted, their heinous and barbaric crimes with complete impunity. Accountability, accountability must therefore be pursued using the available tools at the disposal of the international community. And to this very Council, particularly sanctions, investigations, and possible prosecution. These measures should not only target those who kill, torture, starve, or maim innocent people. but also those who enable, who finance, who facilitate such crimes. We strongly condemn the recent drone attacks against a logistical base of UN ISFA in Kadugli, which resulted in the death of six peacemakers from Bangladesh, and we stress the need for a thorough investigation and full accountability. And we extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Bangladesh. Mr. President, dear colleagues, we reiterate our call for the public and firm condemnation of the international, of the external interference in the Sudanese conflict. Those enabling the slaughter of the Sudanese people through the supply of arms, drones, and mercenaries must be held accountable. Enough. Enough suffering in Sudan. Enough bloodshed. It's time for restraint. It's time for dialogue. It's time for peace. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Algeria for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, President. And I thank the briefers for their remarks. The United Kingdom condemns the drone strikes on the UNISFA base in Kaddugli on 13 December, which killed six UN peacekeepers and injured nine others. Our thoughts are with the families of those killed and all those affected. Those responsible must be held to account. I will make three points. First, as my Foreign Secretary has said, the atrocities in Sudan scar the conscience of the world. We all witnessed the horrific violence against civilians in El Fasher during the Rapid Support Forces assault, including reports of targeted killings, often on the basis of ethnicity, mass executions, torture and sexual violence. And today, as we've heard in this room, the fighting is intensifying in the Kordofan region. These atrocities must end and the perpetrators be held to account. This month, the UK sanctioned four senior RSF commanders suspected of atrocities in El Fasher. The United Kingdom has repeatedly condemned the violence perpetrated by both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces since the conflict began. This includes reports of aerial bombardments, attacks on peacekeepers, food convoys, hospitals and schools, and the systematic use of rape, particularly impacting women and girls. We've also condemned restrictions on aid, including the expulsion of World Food Programme staff. We call on both sides to end the fighting and protect civilians. We also call for full compliance with the arms embargo and urge all states to refrain from providing financial or military support to the warring parties. Second, there is no military solution to this conflict. We call on both the SAF and the RSF to urgently agree a humanitarian pause and to advance a comprehensive, Sudanese-owned and civilian-led political transition. We particularly commend the United States' intensive leadership and mediation efforts, including through the Quad. We welcome the efforts of regional and international partners towards a political solution. We urge both the RSF and the SAF to engage in these processes in good faith. And we urge all those with influence over the warring parties to bring them to the negotiating table to seek a political resolution. Third, humanitarian access remains critical. Millions of Sudanese face the spread of disease, collapsing essential services, and the growing risk of famine spreading. It is essential that the Adray crossing remains open, and we condemn the reported drone strike there. Attacks on humanitarian personnel and infrastructure should stop immediately. We call on all parties to lift restrictions on humanitarian access, guarantee safe passage for civilians, and allow unhindered delivery of life-saving assistance. President, Sudanese civilians faced unimaginable hardship and suffering this year. The warring parties must end the bloodshed and prioritise peace. I thank you.

I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for his statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Greece.

Thank you, Mr. President. I welcome the presence of His Excellency, Mr. Kamil al-Tayeb Idris, Transitional Prime Minister of Sudan. And I would like also to thank Mr. Khaled Kari, Assistant Secretary General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific, Ms. Edem Gwosho, Director of Operations and Advocacy from OCHA for the briefings, as well as Mr. Cameron Hudson for his input. Greece, Mr. President, strongly condemns the deliberate drone attack of the 13th of December against the UNISFA logistics base in Katugli, South Kordofan, which resulted in the tragic loss of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injuries to several others. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers, as well as to the government and people of Bangladesh, and wish a swift recovery to those wounded. Greece reiterates that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers are unacceptable and may constitute war crimes under international law. In this regard, we echo the Secretary General's statement of the 13th of December and fully support the press statement circulated by the United States. In the same spirit, Greece joined the WPS statement delivered prior to this meeting, expressing grave concern over the devastating impact of the conflict on women and girls in Sudan. We strongly condemn the widespread use of sexual and gender-based violence, which constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Mr. President, allow me to highlight three critical dimensions of the conflict. First, Greece is deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in South Kordofan, particularly in and around Kadugli. Urgent preventive action is needed to avoid the repetition of the tragic outcome witnessed in El-Fasher. Civilians remain dangerously exposed to hostilities, humanitarian access is constrained, and insecurity is growing. We call for de-escalation, the protection of civilians, particularly vulnerable groups like women, children, and the elderly, and unhindered humanitarian access. This is essential to prevent a siege-like scenario with devastating humanitarian consequences like in El-Fasher. Second, Greece reiterates that there cannot be a military solution to the conflict. Both the SAF and the RSF must engage constructively and in good faith with international stakeholders to pursue a negotiated path forward. We urge their full and unconditional cooperation with the UN, the African Union, IGAD, and other relevant partners, including the Secretary-General's personal Mr. Lamamra, to advance an immediate cessation of hostilities and a credible political process. Accountability for violations of international, humanitarian, and human rights law remains essential, nevertheless, in all stages of this process. Third, the humanitarian situation has reached unprecedented levels of severity. More than 10 million people are displaced, while famine and disease threaten populations trapped in besieged areas. We continue to stress the urgent need for the rapid, safe, and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance in full respect of international humanitarian law. Children continue to suffer disproportionately, and all parties must immediately cease and prevent any violations against women and children including recruitment, killing, maiming, and sexual violence. Mr. President, in concluding, Greece reaffirms its firm respect for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Sudan. All efforts toward resolving the conflict must remain Sudanese-owned, Sudanese-led, in full accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter. Preserving Sudan's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity is essential to avoid further fragmentation of the country, regional destabilization and prolonged human suffering. Respect of international law remains the cornerstone of any credible and sustainable path to peace. And we urge all sides intensify efforts for an immediate ceasefire and a return to the political process. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Greece for the statement. And I give the floor to the representative of China.

President, I welcome Prime Minister of Sudan to today's meeting, and thank S. G. Kiari and other briefers for their sobering briefings. I also welcome the presence of representatives of Turkey, Egypt, and UAE at today's meeting. Lately, the situation in Sudan has deteriorated. While the tragedy in Omdurman is still vivid in our minds, the fighting has spread to areas such as Kordofan. Schools, hospitals, and even UN peacekeeping bases have become targets, which poses a grave challenge to international humanitarian law and the authority of the UN. China strongly condemns such attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, and UN personnel and facilities. to the families and victims, we send our deepest condolences. We support a full investigation into these atrocities in accordance with international law to bring perpetrators to justice as soon as possible. To help Sudan end conflict and achieve peace, stability, and development at an early date, the international community must make greater efforts. I'd like to make four points. First, the urgent priority is to end the hostilities. This conflict, nearly three years on, has caused the world's largest humanitarian disaster today, with neighboring countries grievously affected. We urge all parties to the conflict to prioritize the well-being of Sudanese people, heed earnestly the calls of the international community immediately and unconditionally cease hostilities, explore a political solution through dialogue and negotiation, and effectively protect civilians, the safety, and the security of UN personnel and institutions. All external forces should refrain from providing military support to local armed groups and avoid adding fuel to the flame. Second, intensifying mediation efforts is a shared expectation. The international community looks to the UN, AU, Arab League, IGAD, and other international and regional organizations step up mediation efforts and achieve results at an early date. We must uphold the centrality of the UN. Support personal envoy Lamabera in leading mediation efforts. Support AU and other regional organizations in leveraging their respective strengths and support countries with influence over the conflict parties in playing constructive role to bring mediation efforts to early fruition for tangible results on the ground. Third, advancing the political process is an imperative. Prime Minister Idris said, that he would present the Sudanese government's peace initiative, which China welcomes. It must be stressed that the conflict in Sudan must be resolved by the Sudanese themselves. All countries must respect Sudan's sovereign unity and territorial integrity. The international community should continue to support Sudanese government implementing political roadmap and support its people exploring a development path and institutional arrangements suited to national conditions. No imposition of external solutions should be allowed. Acts that could lead to division must be opposed and political manipulation be renounced. Fourth, scaling up humanitarian assistance is a practical necessity in worsening humanitarian crisis. It is of critical importance to ensure sustained access and order distribution of aid supplies. China supports the Sudanese government in its continued coordination with UN humanitarian agencies to ensure the supply of essential items, including food, drinking water, and medicine, to meet people's basic needs. The UN humanitarian response plan for Sudan and regional refugee response plan are both underfunded. The international community, especially traditional donors, must increase their inputs and responsibly honor their humanitarian aid commitments. President, China has always maintained an objective and impartial stance on Sudan. Together with the international community, we will spare no effort in helping Sudan bring an early end to the conflict, ease the humanitarian crisis, and achieve lasting peace, development, and prosperity. Thank you, President.

Thank you, the representative of China, for the statement. And I give the floor to the representative of Republic of Korea.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank ASG Khalid Akhiary, Director at UNOSOM, and Mr. Cameron Hudson for their sobering briefings. I also welcome the participation of His Excellency Mr. Khamelidri Saturday's meeting. In every conflict, it's the civilians who suffer the most. In Sudan, however, their suffering has reached a level that can no longer be explained by battlefield dynamics alone. It is not incidental nor sporadic, but systematic and deepening, pointing to one of the most dangerous humanitarian crises we face today. As the catastrophe that has devastated El-Fasher now spreads into Kordofan, Sudan is being pushed further into crisis, testing the limits of international tolerance. Against this backdrop, I would like to make three points. First, the most urgent priority must be an immediate cessation of hostilities and full respect by all parties for their obligations to protect civilians. Despite Resolution 2736 and the humanitarian truce announced by the RSF, the siege of Al-Fashir continues alongside further military operations in Kordofan, including attacks on hospitals and kindergartens, causing massive civilian casualties, many of them children. Equally alarming is the targeting of humanitarian actors, as seen in the recent attacks on World Food Programme convoys. The warring parties must ensure safe, unhindered, and sustained humanitarian access for all civilians in need. This includes securing the Adria border crossing. Such access must never be politicized. A commitment to ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid must be demonstrated through concrete actions, not words. Second, the entrenched culture of impunity in Sudan must be dismantled. We strongly condemn the drone attacks in Kadugli on 13 December that killed and injured UNISFA peacekeepers. As underscored in the recent Council's press statement, attacks against the UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, and those responsible must be held fully accountable. Indeed, accountability must extend beyond this incident and apply to every individual and entity responsible for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. At the end of last year, the 1591 committee designated additional individuals under the Sudan sanctions regime. In October this year, the International Criminal Court delivered its first conviction related to past atrocities in Darfur. These are important signals that indicate serious crimes will not go unpunished. The Council must build on this momentum by rigorously reviewing the existing sanctions frameworks, notably additions to the sanctions list, and promoting full and effective implementation of the arms embargo. Third, all efforts toward a credible and sustainable peace process must be reinforced. We support the roadmap outlined in the QUAD's joint statement of September, and we also commend the recently renewed engagement by the United States and the tireless mediation efforts by the regional actors and the personal envoy, Lamamra. Ultimately, the international community can help end Sudan's war, not by sponsoring either side's military victory, but by acting as a mediator or a guarantor of a political process whose outcomes can be sustained over time. Furthermore, without credible implementation mechanisms, commitments collapse and violence resumes. This is precisely why the design and enforcement of such implementation mechanisms must also be treated as a core priority. Mr. President, Sudan has already endured far too much tragedy and loss. The international community must respond with unity and greater resolve through strong political signals, accountability, and a readiness to act to pave the way toward a comprehensive, inclusive, and Sudanese-owned peace process. And in paving the way, the Republic of Korea stands ready to remain actively engaged in support of peace, security, and stability in Sudan. Thank you, President.

I thank the representative of Republic of Korea for the statement. And I give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Thank you, Mr. President. We thank A. S. G. Kiari, Director Wasono, and Cameron Hudson for their very clear briefings. We also welcome all the representatives to the meeting. Denmark aligns itself with the profound concerns expressed by the briefers about the catastrophic evolution of the war in Sudan. The people of Sudan are paying an unbearable price. Last week, over 100 people, including 43 children, were reported killed in a horrifying attack on a hospital and kindergarten in South Kordofan. These are not isolated incidents. The cries of the Sudanese people have for too long been met by weapons and violence. We have also recently seen a drone attack on UNISFA peacekeepers in Kadugli, which led to the tragic loss of six peacekeepers. We condemn this attack in the strongest terms and call for a comprehensive investigation. Mr. President, this situation simply cannot continue. I have three messages. First, this war is a struggle between armed actors who have shown scant regard for Sudan's civilians. There is still no ceasefire, nor a credible, unified political process towards a civilian-led transition, free from coercion of armed actors. There is no willingness for warring parties to come to the negotiation table. We implore the warring parties to immediately agree on a ceasefire and create space for a genuine, inclusive, civilian-led process capable of preserving Sudan's unity and lifting the country out of this tragedy. To external actors who continue to supply arms or provide other forms of military support, we urge you to stop fueling this war. You must comply with the arms embargo issued by this Council. Thousands have died and millions of innocent people continue to suffer. We support efforts of regional and international mediators, including the AU, UN, IGAD, the League of Arab States, the EU, and the QUAD. These efforts must respond both to the needs of the Sudanese people and to the lack of political will by the parties to silence the guns. This requires a unified diplomatic front by the international community, consolidation of mediation tracks, targeted sanctions, no external military interference, and real accountability. Civilian voices, including women's, must also be heard. Mr. President, my second point. Front lines have expanded from Darfur into large parts of Kordofan and beyond. The fall of El Fasher to the RSF after more than 500 days of siege, accompanied by reports of systematic killings, sexual and gender-based violence, and the destruction of critical infrastructure, was in brazen defiance of Resolution 2736 and international law. We strongly condemn the RSF for these attacks, which must be comprehensively investigated, with full accountability for those responsible, including through targeted sanctions. The European Union has adopted restrictive sanctions against the RSF's second-in-command. These events represent only a fraction of the atrocities committed. We stress that all perpetrators must be held to account for grave violations, regardless of affiliation. Mr. President, my final and third point. Nearly 14 million people, a quarter of the population of Sudan, have been forced to flee their homes, either internally or into neighboring countries. Famine continues to spiral in El Fasher and Kadugli as markets collapse, livelihoods are destroyed, and access to basic services disappear. This disaster is compounded by lack of adequate funding. We pay tribute to neighboring countries who have kept their borders open for hosting millions of refugees. We continue to urge warring parties to lift access restrictions and provide unconditional security guarantees for humanitarian access, as well as to allow safe and unhindered passage for civilians fleeing violence. We urge the Sudanese authorities to keep the Adre border crossing open, as it is a lifeline for millions of civilians in Darfur. Mr. President, in closing, this brutal war has been going on for too long. We urge the warring parties to respect the commitments set out by this Council and take genuine action to put Sudan on a path to peace. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Denmark for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Thank you, Mr. President. We welcome the participation of His Excellency, Mr. Kamil Idris, Prime Minister of Sudan amongst us today. We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting at the request of Sudan, supported by several Council members, including Pakistan, in the context of the grave and escalating security situation in the country. We thank ASG Khalid Khayari and Director Edem Vosorno of OCHA for the insightful briefings. We also take note of the remarks by the CSO representative, Mr. Hudson. As we heard from the briefers once again, Sudan's crisis is deepening and the cost is being paid most acutely by the civilians. Even the United Nations peacekeepers have not been spared. Pakistan condemns the attack on UNISFA peacekeepers serving in Kedugli. in what has been described as a deliberate drone strike against UN premises. We convey our deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Bangladesh, and to the families of the six fallen peacekeepers, and wish a swift recovery to those injured. Attacks against peacekeepers are unacceptable and amount to war crimes. Those who target UN personnel must be identified and held accountable. Mr. President, this attack did not occur in a vacuum. The Secretary-General's latest report on UNISFA had warned of the growing threats to peacekeepers, including the persistent encroachment of the Rapid Support Forces in UNISFA's operating environment. Nor is Kaddugli unfamiliar terrain for such violations. We had already witnessed the appalling kidnapping of 60 peacekeepers and the seizure of UN assets and fuel trucks by RSF earlier this year. This Council carries a responsibility to ensure that peacekeepers are not left exposed to predictable threats without consequence for those who attack them. Mr. President, only last week we heard UN officials caution against the risk of Al-Fasher-type atrocities now happening in Kordofan, where RSF has been on a rampage, including killing of children in a kindergarten and attacks on schools and hospitals. The atrocities committed by RSF in Al-Jenina and Al-Fashir are still fresh in our memories. Before Al-Fashir fell, this Council and the broader international community were warned repeatedly of the consequences of inaction. Resolution 2736 demanded that the siege of El-Fasher be lifted and called for protection of civilians and humanitarian access. Yet, we saw defiance on the ground, followed by catastrophic outcomes, undermining the credibility of the Council. The lessons from these massacres are clear. Where siege tactics, starvation, indiscriminate attacks against civilians are not stopped, more grave atrocities follow. We cannot allow Kordofan to become the next chapter in the same tragedy. Recent developments, including attacks on towns such as Babanusa and Heglig, underline the risks of regional spillover in Abyei and South Sudan. Mr. President, humanitarian imperatives must also remain central to the Council's work in Sudan. The situation being reported from Kordofan and Darfur, besieged communities, collapsing services, restricted movement, and attacks on aid convoys demands our immediate attention. Sustained, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access must be provided by all parties, and humanitarian routes should be kept open and protected. Mr. President, Pakistan has consistently encouraged the Council to welcome the steps taken by the Sudanese Government in pursuance of its transitional roadmap, including the appointment of Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Khamis Idris, and his technocratic cabinet, tasked with alleviating humanitarian suffering and advancing an inclusive political transition. There is no military solution to this conflict. The only durable path forward lies in a political dialogue and reconciliation. Pakistan therefore supports all genuine efforts and political processes aimed at achieving an immediate cessation of hostilities and ceasefire, protecting civilians, unfettered humanitarian access, and paving the way for a peaceful political transition that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people. The Council must support all such efforts and base its approach on the following essentials. First, preservation of Sudan's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. Second, rejection of any so-called parallel government or structures which undermine state institutions and risk fragmentation of the country. Third, immediate cessation of hostilities and ensuring protection of civilians, including urgent steps to prevent mass atrocity risks in Kordofan. Fourth, unimpeded humanitarian access to all people in need of assistance all across the country. Fifth, ensuring greater coherence and complementarity between the various peace initiatives and mediation tracks that are currently active for the achievement of our common objectives. And lastly, maintaining zero tolerance for war crimes, including attacks against UN peacekeepers and humanitarian workers, with credible investigations and accountability of the perpetrators. The brotherly people of Sudan have suffered beyond measure. The guns must be silenced, hopes for a brighter future rekindled, with peace and normalcy visible on the horizon. The Council must fulfill its responsibility towards that end. Pakistan will continue to support all such endeavors. I thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.

Thank you, Mr. President. We thank Assistant Secretary-General Mr. Khaled Hiri. and OCHA Operations Director Ms. Ademwo Sornu for their briefings. We have also listened to the statement by civil society representative Mr. Cameron Hudson. We welcome the participation of Sudan's Prime Minister, Mr. Khamal Idris, in this meeting, as well as the representatives of Egypt, Turkey, and the UAE. We are closely monitoring developments in the Republic of Sudan. We note the efforts undertaken by the current government of Sudan and the national armed forces to stabilize the situation and restore normal life in the country. This includes the functioning of state institutions and providing assistance to the population. This is confirmed by the support given to the government by the Sudanese people themselves. We see this work as an important factor in preserving state governance amidst a severe crisis. We express serious concern over the dangerous escalation in the southern regions of Sudan directly linked to the destructive actions of the Rapid Support Forces. Their armed raids, attacks on settlements and infrastructure, and undermining of local governance mechanisms exacerbates humanitarian suffering and extends the geographical scope of the conflict. Such actions are unjustifiable and only prolong the crisis further. In this regard, we cannot ignore attempts by some Council members to artificially shift the focus of discussions from the root causes of the conflict, namely the atrocities committed by rebel groups, primarily the RSF, and to shift the focus to the consequences. The protection of civilians, food security, and the growing number of refugees and IDPs, all of these are indeed serious challenges. However, isolating these issues from their cause and effect context and remaining silent about the actions of those who in many ways bear direct responsibility for what is happening does not bring us closer to a sustainable settlement. We proceed from unconditional respect for Sudan's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Any attempts to undermine these principles, including through the creation of parallel power structures, carry serious risks of disintegration for the country and could lead to irreversible consequences for its statehood. Such a path is unacceptable and dangerous, above all for the Sudanese people themselves. Mr. President, the legitimacy of Sudan's current government should not be questioned. We believe that its support by the international community is of fundamental importance for preserving effective state institutions capable of ensuring a sovereign, incremental, and sustainable civilian transition. Replacing such institutions from the outside or artificially weakening them will only worsen instability. A path in this direction has already been outlined through the roadmap for reforms announced by Prime Minister Kamal Idris at the beginning of the year, we are convinced that this plan deserves unconditional support from the Security Council. The humanitarian situation on the ground remains extremely difficult. At the same time, we believe that improving the effectiveness of the humanitarian response is impossible without closer and more substantive engagement between UN humanitarian bodies and their partners and Sudanese legitimate government. Ignoring national authorities and attempts to work around state mechanisms undermine coordination, create additional risks for personnel, and do not contribute to a sustainable improvement of the situation for the civilian population. A sovereign state must remain the central link in humanitarian response efforts on its territory. The Russian Federation has consistently advocated for a ceasefire without delay and a transition to a political settlement of the conflict. We are convinced that the only viable path to peace is a broad, inclusive, intra-Sudanese dialogue that has not been imposed from the outside and that takes into account the interests of all the major political and social forces in the country. Decisions about Sudan's future must be made by the Sudanese themselves, without external pressure or prescriptions. We take note of the various mediation initiatives and efforts aimed at facilitating a settlement. At the same time, we believe that the leading and guiding role in coordinating such efforts, as well as in creating a constructive atmosphere for cooperation between influential regional players, should belong to the United Nations. And most importantly, any initiatives for sustainable political settlements must not be adopted behind the backs of the Sudanese people themselves. It is essential to refer to Khartoum's opinion and its vision of ways to overcome the crisis. We look forward to more vigorous efforts from the Secretary-General's personal envoy for Sudan, Mr. Remtane Lamamra. We hope that, following his contacts with the opposing sides and regional partners, the Council will have concrete, well-considered proposals on the parameters for a fair political settlement without infringing on the sovereign right of the Sudanese people to independently determine the future configuration of their state. We are convinced that the Security Council's role in this is to promote de-escalation and national reconciliation, not to deepen divisions. Russia stands ready to continue making a constructive contribution to collective efforts aimed at restoring peace, stability, and unity in Sudan. Thank you for your attention.

I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of the United States.

Thank you, Mr. President. The United States condemns in the strongest terms the continued horrific violence across Sudan. particularly in El Fasher and elsewhere in Darfur and the Kordofan region. We denounce in the strongest terms the December 13th targeting of UN peacekeepers in Kadugli, South Kordofan. Once again, we express our deep condolences to the families of the fallen, fallen peacekeepers, and the government of Bangladesh. The Trump administration unequivocally condemns the atrocities committed by both the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces. This includes the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces in Al-Fashir and reports of the ethnic targeting of civilians by the Sudanese Armed Forces in Wad Madani. We further condemn the Sudanese Armed Forces' use of chemical weapons in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. And we must hold Sudan accountable. Accountability is not optional. It's the cornerstone of the convention's credibility. Let me be clear. The onus is on the Sudanese armed forces and the rapid support forces to end this horrifying conflict now. Under President Trump's leadership and at his direct instruction, Secretary Rubio and Senior Advisor Bulos have offered a way forward via a humanitarian truce. We urge both belligerents to accept this plan without preconditions immediately. We also call on all parties to honor their humanitarian commitments, including refraining from attacking civilians and allowing full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country. It is imperative that the relevant authorities extend the opening of the Adre border crossing with Chad past December 31st. There should not be any preconditions to humanitarian assistance delivery or politicization of access. This devastating war, the fall of El Fasher, the escalation of the conflict in the Kordofan region, and years of conflict in the heart of Khartoum would not be possible without external financial and military support to the warring parties. Supplying arms to any of the parties prolongs the conflict and, if the weapons are provided to parties in Darfur in the absence of committee approval, is in violation of the UN arms embargo. This needs to stop. Finally, we encourage the 1591 Committee to utilize the tools at its disposal, including sanctions, to hold to account those who are committing violations of international humanitarian law or human rights law or atrocities in Darfur. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the United States for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of France.

Mr. President, first of all, I would like to thank ASG Khaled Khairy and OCHA Director of Operations, Ms. Etienne Boissoneau, for their briefings. I also thank Mr. Cameron Hudson for his remarks. We meet today to address the conflict in Sudan, where the civilian population is the primary victim. The Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces, and their allies continue deadly clashes, notably in Kordofan. And external actors continue fueling them, including in violation of the arms embargo in Darfur, which was unanimously renewed last September. These actions exacerbate the regionalization of the conflict. That regionalization is already underway and poses a lasting threat to the security and stability of the Horn of Africa, as well as North Africa, Central Africa, and the Red Sea. On Saturday, December 13, a drone attack on a base of the United Nations Interim Security Forces for Abyei, UNISFA, in Kadugli, killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injured nine others. France condemns this attack in the strongest terms and expresses its solidarity with Bangladesh. We extend our condolences to the families and loved ones of the fallen soldiers and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Those responsible for this attack must be identified and held accountable. Mr. President, I would like to focus on three points in this meeting of the Security Council. First of all, France strongly condemns the systematic and persistent violence against civilians. In El-Fasher, the Rapid Support Forces have committed atrocities in violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In reality, no effective measures have followed their announcement to implement a humanitarian truce. The Rapid Support Forces must immediately ensure the protection of civilians without discrimination, facilitate humanitarian access, and hold perpetrators of crimes within their ranks accountable. Mr. President, we are also concerned by reports of violations committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces. This includes media reports of incidents involving the use of chemical weapons. The Sudanese armed forces must immediately adhere to the humanitarian truce proposed by the United States under the Quad framework. Furthermore, all parties concerned must comply with international humanitarian law, particularly the obligation to guarantee the rapid and unimpeded delivery of food, assistance, medicine, and other essential supplies. They must respect their obligations under Security Council Resolution 2736, as well as their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration, including the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. It is intolerable that hunger and famine persist because of the cynicism of the parties to the conflict. Secondly, it is important to recall that the parameters for resolving this conflict have been well identified. A ceasefire accompanied by a peace process. Efforts are underway to achieve a humanitarian truce, notably through the quads action for Sudan, which recalls the need to relaunch an inclusive and transparent transition process, one that is not controlled by any party to the conflict. France supports the Quad, as well as all efforts for peace in Sudan, including the work of the Secretary-General's personal envoy, Mr. Remtane Lamamra, as well as the involvement of the African Union, IGAD, the League of Arab States, and the EU. Mr. President, the informal interactive dialogue held at the request of Denmark and the UK on December 16th allowed the Council to express support for these mediation efforts and their coordination. That meeting was an opportunity to recall the importance of full inclusion of Sudanese civil society in all its diversity, and particularly the inclusion of Sudanese women in political processes to achieve lasting peace. This civil society is currently on the front lines, supporting populations affected by the fighting. Through initiatives such as the emergency response rooms, or ERR, civil society carries the hope of a peaceful, united, and demilitarized Sudan. Finally, the Security Council must exert its full weight to support peace efforts. It is essential to urge the parties to engage urgently and in good faith in negotiations towards a political solution. It is also essential to hold accountable those responsible for atrocities against civilians. France supports, in this regard, the use of individual sanctions under the 1591 regime. The Council must act now to preserve Sudan's unity and regional stability. It is essential to rise to the aspirations of the Sudanese people for freedom, peace, and justice after the December 2018 revolution. I thank you.

I thank the representative of France for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Panama.

Thank you, Mr. President. Panama expresses its appreciation to Under-Secretary-General Khaled Khairy Mazdad Mwasonu of the Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs, and the independent analyst, Mr. Cameron Hudson. We thank them for their briefings. We extend a welcome to His Excellency, Dr. Khamis Idris, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan, and thank him for his participation in today's meeting. We recognize the presence of the representatives of other countries honoring us with their presence today. Panama strongly condemns the drone attack of 13 December against the logistical base of UNISFA in Kadugli, which resulted in the loss of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and left several others injured. We convey our condolences to the Government and people of Bangladesh, as well as to the families of those who lost their lives while serving under the flag of the United Nations. We align ourselves with the Secretary-General's statement affirming that attacks against peacekeeping personnel are unjustifiable and may constitute war crimes under international law. This attack, occurring amid an intensification of hostilities and an ongoing humanitarian crisis, underscores the increasingly dangerous environment in which peacekeeping personnel and civil society organizations operate while delivering assistance to the population at considerable personal risk. Since October 2025, following the resurgence of violence in Al-Fasher, we have received numerous deeply alarming reports of attacks and developments on the ground in Sudan. The conditions endured by the civilian population point to a protection crisis of extreme magnitude. No individual should be compelled to live under such circumstances. The scale and intensification of violence, including indiscriminate attacks against civilians through the use of drones and increasingly sophisticated weaponry, highlight the urgent need to adopt concrete measures to protect those most at risk. We call upon all parties to cease hostilities, to place the protection of civilians at the forefront of their actions, and engage fully and constructively in the ongoing mediation efforts, while recalling the State's obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of the population it serves. Panama recognizes and values the multiple mediation initiatives currently underway at both the regional and international levels. In this regard, we acknowledge the active role of the Quad, the African Union, and regional efforts aimed at facilitating dialogue among the parties, which are essential to advancing a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the conflict. Mr. President, The present context reveals an undeniable reality. In a conflict of this magnitude, there can be no winners so long as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence. At the same time, we see the ongoing support, arms, and financing from external actors rather than exercising the influence that they have at their disposal to motivate the parties to cease hostilities, put an end to violence, to stop atrocities and respect human rights. The current context at the same time, corrects the speaker, we underscore the urgent need to strengthen protection measures in response to the continued prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls. Sexual violence used as a tactic of war constitutes a crime and a serious violation of international law. ensuring the protection of civilians, addressing the humanitarian crisis, achieving an immediate cessation of hostilities, safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sudan, and promoting accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Panama, President, reiterates its commitment to a coordinated, inclusive, and human rights-based approach that supports mediation efforts and contributes to the realization of stable, secure, and dignified conditions which the Sudanese people deserve. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Panama for the statement. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Slovenia. I thank all briefers for their insight. Sudan today is not confronting tragedy by chance, but through sustained and deliberate conduct. This war has crossed every moral, legal, and human boundary. Slovenia condemns unequivocally the destruction of civilian lives across Sudan. I wish to make three points. First, the pattern of harm in Sudan leaves no room for misinterpretation. Civilians are attacked, killed, besieged, starved, bombed, raped, and displaced by design. Violence is not incidental. It is calibrated. Hunger is not a byproduct. It is imposed. El Fasher is most compelling example. For 18 months, a city has been surrounded, suffocated, and attacked from both ground and air. As we heard, these same methods are now spreading beyond Darfur, in Kordofan. Violence is accelerating rapidly, with drone warfare adding a new and terrifying dimension, remote, indiscriminate, and devastating. This war has turned children into targets. In South Kordofan, a horrific attack on kindergarten, killing children, fully exposed the moral collapse of this conflict. Months ago, UNICEF warned that children are being subjected to horrors of sexual violence. Our position is clear. There is no circumstance, no justification, and no explanation that can excuse violence against children. We condemn it in the strongest terms. On 30th December, this same disregard for life extended to those mandated to protect it. when a drone attack on UNISFA logistics base in Kadugli killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers. A day later, according to WHO, a hospital in Dalan was attacked, killing nine health workers, one of many deadly assaults on healthcare that are stripping civilians of lifesaving services across Sudan. Slovenia condemns all these attacks in the strongest possible terms and expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers. We demand that those responsible be identified and held accountable. We equally condemn the use of siege, starvation and terror as methods of warfare. Second, responsibility must be addressed. All civilian deaths, regardless of location, affiliation or perpetrator, are equally unacceptable. and demand the same clarity of condemnation and commitment to justice. A number of reports has made it clear both parties bear responsibility for harm to civilians. The crimes committed by the RSF stand apart for their scope, intensity and brutality. RSF is waging a campaign of violence against civilians that is systematic, deliberate and sustained. These are not isolated incidents or failures of discipline. They are operational choices. Slovenia condemns these acts unequivocally and stresses that such conduct demands clear accountability for RSF atrocities. Reporting by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Fact-Finding Mission has also documented serious violations by the Sudanese Armed Forces. including indiscriminate air strikes and attacks affecting populated areas. Slovenia condemns these attacks and calls on the SAF to cease such conduct and to comply fully with international humanitarian law. Third, this war is being enabled from the outside. Sudan continues to receive weapons, including drones, logistical and financial support that enables hostilities. despite overwhelming evidence that this support is directly used to target civilians. SLUINIA calls on all external actors to halt the transfer of arms and military material and to cease any support that fuels this war, in full compliance with UN arms embargo obligations. We need to be clear, there can be no illusion of neutrality. Those who provide military or logistical assistance share responsibility and accountability. In a war defined by massive atrocities, there is no neutral supply chain. In conclusion, Slovenia supports all genuine mediation efforts, including those led by the QUAD, the QUINT, the UN, the EU, and regional actors. The Sudan roadmap to peace must be matched by genuine commitment. As other scholars have said, there is no military solution to this war. Slovenia calls directly on both warring parties to step up and engage seriously in mediation efforts, rather than undermine or fragment these efforts. The responsibility now lies with the parties to demonstrate, through actions rather than words, that they are prepared to end this war. I resume my function as President of the Council. And I now give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Khamis al-Tayeb Idris, Transitional Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan.

Mr. President, distinguished members of the Security Council, Sudan stands today at a defining moment in its history, a moment where the silence of guns can either be delayed by hesitation or secured by courage. Our nation, as you have rightly established this morning, has paid an unbearable price in human lives and in the tearing apart of its social fabric. Cities have been reduced to ruins, families to exile, and the hope itself, hope itself has been placed under siege. The Government of Sudan Peace Initiative is born not from illusion, but from necessity. Not from victory, but from responsibility. It is a deliberate choice. to replace chaos with order, violence with law, and despair with hope. Crowned it in international principles and the complementarities and synergies with the American Saudi Egyptian, informed by painful experience, this initiative offers a realistic, enforceable, and inclusive framework to protect civilians, end the atrocities, restore state authority, state responsibility, and open the door to national reconciliation. Today, Sudan does not ask for sheer sympathy. I must make this point very clear. We are not here to ask for sheer sympathy from this Council. It asks for partnership. in securing peace, justice, and dignity for our people. Our initiative is homemade. Let me underline, homemade, not imposed upon us. It is not about winning a war. It is about ending a cycle of violence that has failed Sudan for decades.

Sudan is facing an existential crisis as a result of the ferocious war. waged by the rebel militia, formerly the Rapid Support Forces, in blatant violation of all international laws and norms. This has led to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and has destabilized regional and international security. Therefore, further to the roadmap presented to your esteemed council, and in complementarity with the Saudi-American-Egyptian peace initiative, we present to you the Government of Sudan peace initiative. This initiative reflects the vision of the Sudanese Transitional Civilian Government of Hope to put an end to this armed aggression by the militia and its supporters, to protect civilians, to end the bloodshed, to end the suffering of our people, to safeguard the unity and territorial integrity of our country, and to safeguard international peace and security. The following are our core steps towards peace. First, a ceasefire. We need to declare a comprehensive ceasefire under joint monitoring by the United Nations, the African Union, and the League of Arab States. in parallel with the withdrawal of the rebel militia from all areas it occupies. This would be an implementation for the Declaration of Principles signed in Jeddah on the 11th of May 2023. Secondly, We need to group rebel militia combatants in designated camps. There is a need for the withdrawal of militia combatants and their grouping in agreed upon camps under joint supervision. The supervision is to be carried out by the UN and African and Arab actors. There is a need for the registration and screening of rebel militia combatants and the collection of their personal biometric data. Third, we need to address internally displaced persons, refugees, and humanitarian assistance. There is a need for facilitating and securing the return of internally displaced persons to their regions of origin, along with facilitating and securing the voluntary return of refugees and facilitating and securing the unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance to all populations in need in conflict-afflicted areas. Fourth, we must guarantee the disarmament of the rebel militia. This would be through the implementation of a comprehensive disarmament process under agreed international monitoring, with guarantees to prevent the recycling of weapons. As for confidence building measures, the Sudanese Transitional Civilian Government of Hope, building on Security Council Resolution 2736, which affirms national ownership of peace building, will adopt multiple confidence building measures to ensure responsiveness to the Government of Sudan Peace Initiative. These measures encompass political, economic, security and social dimensions as follows. Firstly, political measures. Adopting measures concerning legal proceedings related to public rights, Developing policies addressing accountability for militia members not implicated in war crimes, genocide, human rights violations, or other crimes defined under international law, be they combatants or civilians, while subjecting perpetrators of crimes to transitional justice. Ensuring that no Sudanese citizen is denied the opportunity to receive identity documents or review filed reports, or have their status regularized for all those wishing to return to the country in preparation for an environment conducive to inter-Sudanese dialogue. Second, security measures. We must integrate individuals who meet the criteria established by the state into the uniformed forces of the Government of Sudan. We shall implement disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs, known as DDR programs for short, for eligible individuals to support their return to civilian life. We will support reintegration through international and regional programs aimed at rehabilitating former combatants and facilitating the reintegration into society. Third, economic measures, specifically redress and compensation. We will support development projects in the states of Darfur and Kordofan and other affected states through the allocation of additional government and international resources in addition to reconstruction projects. We will create productive projects through the establishment of microfinance funds aimed at improving the living standards of people in war-afflicted areas. We will also provide employment opportunities and civil training programs to rehabilitate former combatants and facilitate their integration into the labor market, while guaranteeing the participation of non-convicted militia members in the implementation of these projects. Fourth, social measures. We will guarantee the inclusion of non-implicated militia members and their supporters in social peace initiatives and provide opportunities for them to contribute to reconciliation and redress programs, thereby strengthening local communities' trust in them. We will also guarantee the inclusion of reintegrated members in educational and health projects through support to schools and hospitals in war-affected areas, thereby making them part of the community-based solutions. As for reconciliation and community peace conferences, We aim to convene comprehensive international and national conferences to reestablish community peace, reconciliation, and healing in cooperation with the United Nations, international regional organizations, donors, and fraternal and friendly states in order to address the consequences of war, repair the social fabric, and create a healthy and resilient societal environment. As for the political process, we aim to hold inter-Sudanese dialogue during the transitional period, through which political actors will agree on how the state is to be administered and how the country is to be governed. This will be followed by free and fair elections under international monitoring, thereby fulfilling the requirements of a comprehensive democratic transition.

Distinguished members of the Security Council, history will not remember how complex this conflict was. It will remember whether the world acted when action was possible. It will remember when action was possible. The Government of Sudan Peace Initiative offers a clear test of our collective resolve. A ceasefire that can be monitored, disarmament that can be enforced, justice that is not selective, and reconciliation that is not superficial. Distinguished members, the initiative affirms a simple and enduring truth. There is no peace without accountability, no stability without a single national authority, and no future without healing. Sudan seeks neither impunity nor endless war. It seeks a just peace anchored in law, and safeguarded by the international community. You are the international community. This collective assembly of the Security Council is the full representation of the international community. This initiative can mark the moment when Sudan stepped back from the edge and the international community, you, you stood on the right side of history. Let this Council be remembered not as a witness to collapse, but as a partner in recovery. I am here today, distinguished members of the Security Council, therefore, to seek your undivided attention and full support. Thank you for your attention.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Idris for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Turkey.

Mr. President, I thank ASG Kiari and Director Bosorno for their briefings. and Mr. Hudson for the naked truth. I also would like to welcome His Excellency, Mr. Khamis Idris, Prime Minister of Sudan. Unfortunately, the conflict in Sudan has turned to a humanitarian catastrophe. Sudan has become the largest displacement crisis in the world, and the numbers are continuing to grow. Turkey defines Sudan's unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence as one of the basic tenets of our principled approach to the region and Africa as a whole. We are deeply saddened by the recent developments in El Fasher and Kordofan. We strongly condemn the atrocities committed by the RSF against civilians, and called for the urgent access of humanitarian assistance to the relevant regions. We also condemn the attack on the logistics base of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan. I wish to express Turkey's condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers and to the government and people of Bangladesh, and wish a swift recovery. Mr. President, it is only through legitimacy and dialogue a sustainable solution to the conflict can be found. We support regional and international initiatives aimed at ending the conflict, easing the human suffering, and preserving Sudan's unity, stability, and security. The efforts of the international community should turn into an inclusive peace process that will enable a permanent ceasefire, followed by a comprehensive political process, of course, and accountability. In order to contribute to the normalization of the country, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency reopened its office in Port Sudan. Also, Ziraat Katilim Bank has relaunched its operations in the country. Turkish Airlines started Istanbul-Port Sudan flights on September this year. The continued presence of Turkish Embassy in Port Sudan at the ambassadorial level is a clear testament to our determination to stand with Sudan. In these difficult times, we do not remain indifferent to the ongoing humanitarian situation in the country. Turkish hospital in Nyala, the capital city of South Darfur, continues to provide health services to the Sudanese people despite all the setbacks and hardships. In addition to our previous humanitarian aid, four Turkish aid ships, two of them prepared by the Turkish NGOs, delivered approximately 10,000 tons of aid to Port Sudan since the summer of 2024. Turkish Ministry of Health has sent 64 tons of medical supply to help Sudanese people fight cholera in this July. In cooperation with Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority and the International Organization for Migration, arrangements of the shipment of 30,000 tents were completed. First shipment already arrived. Rest of the tents will be delivered soon. Mr. President, in the midst of growing number of global crisis and challenges, Sudan must not be allowed to fade from the international community's focus. That's why I appreciate the initiatives by His Excellency Prime Minister very much. Establishment of a reliable ceasefire, sustainable and safe delivery of humanitarian aid remains to be urgent needs. People of Sudan must be freed from the grip of violence and death. Turkey once again underscores its firm support for the people of Sudan and appeals to the international community to enhance and and force efforts to end the conflict. And thank you.

I thank the representative of Turkey for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Egypt.

Mr. President, allow me at the outset to warmly welcome the Prime Minister of Sudan, Dr. Kamal Idris, among us today. In this meeting that comes at a critical historical moment for brotherly Sudan, as was stated by His Excellency minutes ago, that valued neighboring country for all Egyptians is undergoing a deepening crisis, a crisis that has dangerous repercussions on regional and international security. This extends to the neighboring countries of the Sudan in particular, since they are the most affected by the crisis. They bear the brunt of its consequences as well. Mr. President, members of this august Council, over the past two years, Egypt has engaged in all international effort aimed at restoring stability in the Sudan. We recognized the conflict's multiple routes of danger, especially in light of the Sudan's strategic location at the heart of Africa, neighboring seven different countries. The Sudan also has long coasts along the Red Sea. Thus, the repercussions of chaos and insecurity could lead to threats to the security and safety of maritime navigation in the Red Sea. It could undermine stability in the Horn of Africa. It could also lead to the spread of terrorism, organized crime, more waves of illegal migration, and the smuggling of weapons and people. All such threats could instantly transform the Sudan God forbid into a threat to international peace and security way beyond its regional sphere. In this vein, Egypt continues its endeavors aimed at ending the war in the Sudan. We cooperate and coordinate with all regional and international partners. Egypt participates in the international quartet mechanism to end the suffering of the brotherly Sudanese people and settle this crisis. This comes through reaching a comprehensive humanitarian truce as soon as possible. Such a truce will lead to a permanent ceasefire with establishing safe shelters and humanitarian corridors that would provide safety to innocent Sudanese civilians. It will also come in full coordination with Sudanese state institutions. In parallel, effort will continue to launch a Sudanese-led comprehensive political process. Egypt was keen to host a meeting of Sudanese political and civilian forces in Cairo in July of 2020, in line with the Cairo One Dialogue Conference. This was a support to the attempts of our brothers to overcome current differences and reach a common ground and vision that would pave the way for a better future for the Sudan. Egypt also spares no effort in providing all forms of support to the mechanisms and attempts aimed at ending the conflict in the Sudan. This is especially so within the framework of the African Union, Sudan's neighboring countries, and other fora, proceeding from our belief in the need for concerted and complementary regional and international effort to achieve such a goal. In this regard, Egypt commends the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his personal envoy, Mr. Rometan Lamarmora, For he played an important role in narrowing differences among different parties to restore peace and stability in the Sudan. Egypt's delegation values the continued constructive cooperation and the promotion of trust between the Sudanese government and the United Nations and its agencies in different areas of work to address the crisis, particularly the humanitarian dimension. Egypt condemns the gross attack against UN peacekeepers in Kadugli. We call upon the Council to take firm measures to protect peacekeepers and hold perpetrators accountable. Egypt stresses the need to halt the illicit flow of weapons, mercenaries, and foreign terrorist fighters into Sudanese territory. This could promote efforts aimed at ending the conflict, stopping the bloodshed, and curbing the waves of displacement and asylum. Egypt calls upon the international community to take the necessary measures to stop the gross violations of the principles of the IHL, as well as the crimes committed against innocent civilians in Darfur and Kordofan, especially following the fall of El Fasher. In this regard, Egypt's delegation reaffirms its steadfast position towards Sudan. We warn against crossing the red lines that are of great importance to our national security, which is closely linked to the Sudanese national security. Those red lines were touched upon in the Egyptian presidential statement issued on December 18. Foremost, maintaining Sudanese unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty. We strongly reject any attempts to divide or fragment Sudan or try to affect their abilities. We also reaffirm Egypt's full support for Sudan's national institutions. We categorically reject the establishment of any parallel entities or recognition thereof, as this would undermine Sudan's unity and territorial integrity. Mr. President, Egypt continues to provide all possible support to the Sudan so that they can overcome their current crisis. Egypt has opened its doors to receive hundreds of thousands of Sudanese citizens fleeing the conflict. The Egyptian government is also continuing the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance, including food supplies, relief materials, and medical equipment to the Sudanese citizens affected by the conflict. In addition, we have supported several development projects to provide essential services, particularly in the field of energy and infrastructure. As we speak today, An Egyptian medical convoy is currently dispatched to Sudan, consisting of a group of top-notch doctors in various specialties to provide treatment and perform necessary surgeries for our brothers in Sudan. This comes in addition to tons of medicines and medical supplies to support Sudanese hospitals and facilities. Mr. President, The current situation in Sudan should not be turned into a competition field or a battlefield. Instead, it must compel us all to sincerely cooperate and coordinate in a transparent manner for the Sudan to turn that page. The Sudan must reach a humanitarian truce as soon as possible to ensure humanitarian and relief access for millions of displaced people. This should be followed by an engagement in negotiations to reach a permanent ceasefire, followed by a resumption of the political process. This would ensure the success of the transitional period. To conclude, I reiterate Egypt's full solidarity with the Sudan to overcome the current crisis. Egypt will continue to strongly assist the Sudanese people so they can restore their legitimate right in a decent livelihood, in a safe country, a country capable of meeting their aspirations, protecting their abilities, while providing horizons for progress, development and prosperity. In this vein, I call upon this august Council to register and study the important letters and vital points included in His Excellency the Prime Minister's statement. We hope that it would be a starting point in the future plan of the Council aimed at ending the war and lifting the suffering of the Sudanese people. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of Egypt for the statement. And now I give the floor to the representative of United Arab Emirates.

Mr. President, I thank Assistant Secretary-General Mr. Khaled Khayri and Director of Operations and Advocacy Ms. Edem Wosornu for their briefings on the catastrophic situation in Sudan. And while I agree with what Mr. Hudson said about the importance of Sudan transitioning to a civilian-led government and one that is free from the control of extremist forces, I express regret that he has also used the opportunity to repeat false and unfounded allegations against the UAE, which we categorically reject. Mr. President, as we speak, fighting continues unabated across the country, despite repeated calls from the Quad and others to secure a humanitarian truce that would enable a surge of lifesaving assistance into and across Sudan, the warring parties choose to continue their military operations and violate international law. Just this month, the conflict has crossed yet another red line with a direct attack against the United Nations. The United Arab Emirates unequivocally condemns the heinous drone attack against UNIFSA's logistics base in Kadugli, which resulted in the tragic deaths of UN peacekeepers and represents a serious escalation. Those responsible must be held accountable. This attack does not stand in isolation, but reflects a broader and well-documented pattern of violations by the warring parties, which includes The atrocities committed against civilians in El Fasher, Kordofan, and Al-Jazirah, among others. The declaration as persona non grata and the expulsion of UN officials, from the last Secretary-General Special Representative to senior World Food Program officials. The obstruction and politicization of humanitarian access and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. and threats and intimidation directed at mediators who are facilitating a humanitarian truce. These actions directly undermine mediation efforts and the UN's ability to protect civilians and deliver lifesaving aid. Amid the fog of war, one fact is beyond dispute: both sides have committed war crimes. This is not conjecture. The atrocities by the Rapid Support Forces and its allies are well known, and the evidence of crimes by the Sudanese Armed Forces and their allied Islamist groups is mounting, including recent reports of systematic, ethnically motivated atrocities. Mr. President, the international community must not stand by as this ongoing civil war creates dangerous space for extremist and terrorist networks to regroup, recruit, and finance themselves. generating spillover risks for Sudan's neighbors and the wider region. As the Quad's joint statement of 12 September underscores, Sudan's future cannot be dictated by violent extremist groups, including those part of or linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, whose destabilizing influence has fueled violence and instability across the region. The Council should be clear that any path forward must deny these extremist groups space, resources, and legitimacy, and must be anchored in a genuine civilian-led transition independent of either of the warring parties. It is, however, telling that violence is still being used to silence calls for civilian governance, as we saw during the recent commemorations of the December Revolution. Only an independent, civilian-led government can address the root causes of this conflict and prevent Sudan from remaining trapped in cycles of military rule, instability, and repression. Today, there is a clear and immediate opportunity to act in the interest of the Sudanese people by implementing the humanitarian truce that the U.S. and the Quad have been calling for. Lessons of history and present realities make it clear that unilateral efforts by either of the warring parties are not sustainable and will only prolong the war. The immediate priority is for a humanitarian truce that enables safe, rapid, and unhindered delivery of aid across Sudan, and that leads directly to a permanent ceasefire and a pathway towards civilian rule, independent of the warring parties. The Quad process, led by the United States, remains the most viable framework to achieve this. The international community must unite its efforts to press both warring parties to accept the truce on the table. If they refuse, this Council must be prepared to act. It must use all tools at its disposal, including imposing a comprehensive arms embargo across all of Sudan to stop the flow of weapons fueling this war. Mr. President, the UAE's commitment to the Sudanese people is longstanding and unwavering. We will continue to work with regional and international partners to secure an immediate ceasefire and support a credible pathway toward lasting peace. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of the United Arab Emirates for the statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.