The text of the following statement was released by the United States of America, Germany, France, and the European Union following the Ministerial Meeting on Advancing Peace in Sudan on the margins of the UN General Assembly, on September 25, 2024.
A Ministerial Meeting on Sudan was convened by Germany, France, the United States and the European Union in New York during the United Nations General Assembly High Level Week in support of the Sudanese people and their aspirations for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic future. Participants expressed deep concern about the catastrophic and still rapidly deteriorating situation in Sudan, reiterated the commitments made in the Declaration of Principles adopted in Paris on 15 April 2024, one year into the conflict, and informed about their initiatives for advancing peace in Sudan.
The ongoing brutal hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other armed groups continue to cause devastating suffering across the country. Participants were also gravely alarmed by the escalating hostilities in El Fasher which are putting civilians at extreme risk, and demanded an immediate halt to the siege.
It was deemed essential that the warring parties adhere to their commitments made in Jeddah, Geneva, and subsequent negotiations, abide by the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2736 andfully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Participants called on the warring parties to immediately re-engage in negotiations, cease hostilities and finally end the war. Participants urged them to ensure the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel and of civilian and critical infrastructure.
They also called on them to commit, as a first step, to localized humanitarian pauses and ensure immediate humanitarian access to El Fasher, Sennar and Khartoum so that civilians are protected and humanitarian operations can reach those in most dire need of lifesaving assistance.
Moreover, participants called upon all foreign actors, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and the commitments made in Paris, to refrain from providing military support to the warring parties and to focus their efforts towards building the conditions for a negotiated resolution of the conflict.
Participants expressed their readiness to support establishing a cessation of hostilities monitoring mechanism, as well as to taking appropriate measures to ensure the protection of civilians. Both parties to the conflict were called to immediately engage in a constructive discussion regarding the Compliance Mechanism proposed by the ALPS Group to protect civilians and to facilitate access of humanitarian assistance to all parts of Sudan.
Participants believed that the international community should be prepared to explore options to support the implementation and durability of any future local or nationwide cessation of hostilities.
Participants expressed their support for an inclusive and comprehensive political process with civilian actors at its core, including women and youth, to meet the long-delayed aspirations of the Sudanese people for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Sudan.
The Ministerial Meeting was attended by representatives of the United Nations, Germany, France, the United States, the European Union, the African Union, IGAD, the League of Arab States, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Uganda, Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye.
