Speech

UN Human Rights Council 55: Joint Statement on Sudan Humanitarian Access

Joint Statement on behalf of 44 countries on Sudan Humanitarian Access for the Item 4 General Debate. Delivered by the UK's Permanent Representative to the WTO and the UN, Simon Manley.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Simon Manley CMG
Published
20 March 2024
Last updated
25 March 2024 — See all updates
This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government
Location:
Geneva
Delivered on:
(Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)
Simon Manley CMG

Mr President,

This statement is on behalf of the Troika for Sudan – USA, Norway and the UK. It is supported by over 40 Member States of the UN.

We welcome the organisation of a humanitarian conference for Sudan and neighbouring countries next month in Paris, exactly one year since the beginning of a conflict that has had catastrophic humanitarian consequences for the Sudanese people.  

Nearly 18 million people are suffering crisis levels of food insecurity. Humanitarian workers are blocked from reaching the people in need.  The longer this conflict lasts, and the further fighting spreads, the greater that need will become.  We call on all parties to accept a Ramadan ceasefire, in line with Security Council Resolution 2724.​
The Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) withdrawal of permission for aid deliveries through the major crossing points from Chad into Darfur is indefensible. It has exacerbated the suffering in Darfur, where civilians are already in dire need after suffering relentless atrocities by the Rapid Support Forces.

We call on the SAF to uphold fully their commitments to facilitate cross-line and cross-border operations, re-open fully the vital Adre crossing point, and refrain from any measures that prevent life-saving aid reaching those in need.  

The vital work of local responders, UN agencies, and international partners must be allowed to proceed. The warring parties must ensure the security of humanitarian actors and refrain from diverting life-saving supplies for themselves – and hold their personnel accountable when they go against these principles.

Mr President, ​

The death toll in Sudan is likely far greater than the 14,000 verified to date. Every day humanitarian assistance is prevented from reaching those in need, that number will rise, and the Sudanese people move further toward catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

We call on all parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and the Jeddah Declaration, and to allow full, rapid, safe, and unhindered cross-border and cross-line humanitarian access, so that we can, collectively, protect Sudan’s people from even more suffering and death. 

Thank you.

Statement on behalf of:

  1. United Kingdom
  2. Norway
  3. United States of America
  4. Albania
  5. Argentina
  6. Australia
  7. Austria
  8. Belgium
  9. Canada
  10. Croatia
  11. Cyprus
  12. Czech Republic
  13. Denmark
  14. Ecuador
  15. Estonia
  16. Finland
  17. France
  18. Georgia
  19. Germany
  20. Iceland
  21. Ireland
  22. Italy
  23. Japan
  24. Kyrgyzstan
  25. Latvia
  26. Liechtenstein
  27. Lithuania
  28. Luxembourg
  29. Malta
  30. Montenegro
  31. Netherlands
  32. New Zealand
  33. North Macedonia
  34. Poland
  35. Portugal
  36. Republic of Korea
  37. Romania
  38. Sierra Leone
  39. Slovakia
  40. Slovenia
  41. Spain
  42. Sweden
  43. Switzerland
  44. Ukraine

Updates to this page

Published 20 March 2024
Last updated 25 March 2024 + show all updates

  1. Three additional States have signed the Statement.

  2. First published.