Explanation of Vote Following the Adoption of a UN Security Council Resolution Extending the Sudan Sanctions Regime

Ambassador Jeffrey Bartos
U.S. Representative for U.N. Management and Reform
New York, New York

AS DELIVERED

Thank you, President.

Colleagues, the United States welcomes the adoption of this short-term technical rollover.

Throughout negotiations on this text, we heard emphatic support from a broad group of members to expand this arms embargo to the entire territory of Sudan.

We also heard from some members a desire to maintain the status quo and to take no action whatsoever.

As we have made clear, a long-term technical rollover of this mandate is not an option. Which is why we proposed this short-term text to provide us the time and space necessary to make substantive changes to the regime.

Colleagues, this Council has proven it can make a true difference in Sudan when it uses tools at its disposal, as exemplified when we collectively sanctioned eight individuals earlier this year for their roles in the conflict.

However, the current sanctions regime is over twenty years outdated and is insufficient to address the realities of the war today.

That is why this Council should expand the arms embargo across the entire territory of Sudan; expand the listing measures to include horrific actions such as conflict related sexual violence, kidnapping for ransom, and attacks on humanitarian personnel; and strengthen the mandate and effectiveness of the panel of experts.

Each of these are simple actions this Council can take to protect civilians and help bring an end to this war.

Countless experts have briefed us on the use of rape and other forms of sexual violence as a tactic of war. Yet, this Council does not have sufficient tools to hold perpetrators of these actions accountable.

Humanitarian agencies have consistently described to us the complexities of their operating environment due to attacks on aid convoys—all of which impact the delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in need, further worsening the famine.

Just last week, more than 50 metric tons of aid were destroyed in an aerial attack on clearly identified World Food Program trucks in South Kordofan.

However, this attack on humanitarian workers took place in a part of the country where this Council has no tools to respond. Why would we limit ourselves and not take steps to strengthen our toolset?

Inaction means more suffering and death. That is unacceptable, and we refuse to rubber stamp another year of maintaining the status quo.

The United States urges every Member to negotiate in good faith an expansion of the embargo that will address the current realities of the conflict.

Because we sit here in New York, people in Sudan are suffering, starving, and dying.

We continue to call on the warring parties to cease hostilities, and to refrain from attacks on civilians and allow unhindered humanitarian access to all parts of the country.

The Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces must agree to and comply with a humanitarian truce without conditions.

A truce would save lives, and it would also serve as a vital step toward sustained dialogue and lasting peace.

We reiterate our call for an end to the constant flow of external support to the belligerents.

This Council has a critical role to play and should take the first step by expanding the arms embargo.

I thank you.

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