Security Council considers action on war in Sudan

United Nations: Rhino – The United Nations Security Council is discussing a draft resolution drafted by Britain demanding that both sides to the conflict in Sudan cease hostilities and allow safe, rapid and unhindered delivery of aid across frontlines and borders.

“More than half of Sudan’s population is severely food insecure,” British Ambassador to the United Nations Barbara Woodward told reporters earlier this month.

“Yet the Sudanese army and the RSF are still focused on fighting each other and not on the famine and suffering their country is facing.

Diplomats said Britain wants to bring the draft resolution to a vote as soon as possible. The resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China.

The British draft resolution calls on the warring parties to cease hostilities immediately. It calls on “the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate full, safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access across contact lines and borders into Sudan and throughout the country.”

The draft also calls for the Adré border crossing with Chad to remain open for aid deliveries, “and emphasizes the need to support unhindered humanitarian access through all border crossings, in light of continuing humanitarian needs.”

For her part, the representative of the United States of America in the Security Council condemned the war in Sudan, adding: “We have four calls to the parties to the conflict: to facilitate aid through all channels without exception, and for the Sudanese authorities to keep the Idri crossing open. We welcome their agreement to deliver air aid, and we call for the lifting of bureaucratic restrictions, and for the warring parties to stop obstructing humanitarian aid, especially the authorities in Port Sudan.

“The second call is for an end to hostilities and for all countries to stop providing military assistance to the parties, the third call is for the establishment of a verification mechanism to verify the cessation of hostilities to implement Jeddah’s commitments on the ground, and the fourth call is for the international community to support the transition to a democratic government and support political dialog. We will support this process, and accountability for atrocity violations through the Sudan sanctions regime.