Insufficient Financial Support, Continual Intercommunal Violence Hampering Sudan Peace Process, Chair of 1591 Committee Tells Security Council
Despite implementation of power-sharing provisions of the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement, the Security Council heard today that slow realization of that accord overall — in large part due to insufficient financial support by donor countries — along with continuing intercommunal tensions are complicating the peace process in Sudan, as the head of the sanctions committee for that country presented his quarterly update.
Harold Adlai Agyeman (Ghana), briefing the 15-member organ in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan, detailed its work between 11 December 2021 and 28 March 2022. He said that, during this period, the Committee issued its annual report for 2021 and held one informal/formal consultation via closed videoconference.
He also said that the Panel of Experts on the Sudan submitted its final report in December 2021, and that Committee members discussed the content thereof and recommendations therein during informal/formal consultations on 21 January. The Panel’s final report was made publicly available on 15 February.
On 12 March 2022, the Committee received the Panel’s latest quarterly update, which concerned the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement, regional dynamics, the status of armed groups in the region and intercommunal violence. According to that update, the Peace Agreement is being implemented slowly, except for power-sharing provisions at the national level and in Darfur. Intercommunal tensions continue to trigger clashes, and the Panel expressed concern over insufficient civilian protection citing, inter alia, a lack of adequate police capacity and resources.
He went on to say that the Panel’s report indicated that the national context remains largely unfavourable to the peace process, despite the implementation of several political initiatives designed to ease tensions. Further, donor assistance to the Government is lacking and, in the absence of significant financial support for the implementation of the Peace Agreement, the peace process in Darfur will be difficult to achieve. Reiterating that the Committee was established for the sole purpose of bringing peace to Darfur, he emphasized that its goal is not to punish Sudan but, rather, to support the achievement of stable peace.
Following that briefing, Ammar Mohamed Mahmoud (Sudan) stressed that the sanctions imposed by resolution 1591 (2005) and subsequent resolutions do not match the current facts on the ground in Darfur when compared to those existing in 2005. Communal confrontations do not negate the fact that Darfur enjoys security and stability, and that the Government is determined to address remaining social and security challenges. Since the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement in October 2020, all parties to the accord have been working to implement its provisions on the ground. The different governing entities in Sudan — especially the Sovereign Council and the Cabinet — include parties to the peace process, he said, adding that the Government is working to implement all security arrangements and to form a joint force, some of which will be included in regular forces and others rehabilitated and reintegrated in society.
Underscoring that the most important challenge to the Peace Agreement’s implementation is that all parties have not met their financial pledges and commitments thereto, he called on the international community to provide financial support to this end. “For the first time in years, Darfur is living real peace all over its corners,” he said. There have been no confrontations between the Sudanese Armed Forces and other movements outside the peace process. In January, the president of the Sovereign Council effected a ceasefire in the conflict areas and strives to establish stability and peace throughout the country. All positive developments in Darfur must push the Security Council to end sanctions, he stressed, which will empower the Government to build security capacity, maintain peace and address organized crime. Recalling the adoption of resolution 2620 (2022) in February — which renewed the Panel of Experts’ mandate for another year — he said that Sudan is fully ready to engage with members of the Council towards this end.
The meeting began at 10:08 a.m. and ended at 10:18 a.m.