S/PV.6010
6010th meeting
Wednesday, 5 November 2008, 10 a.m.
New York
Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan
Mr. Ettalhi (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, Sir, I would like to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. We assure you of our constructive cooperation and we are confident of your successful management of the Council’s affairs. I would also like to express our appreciation for the efforts of our colleague the Permanent Representative of China and his team and for the efficient manner in which they guided our proceedings last month.
We would also like to thank Mr. Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, for his briefing and for the optimism that he has expressed with regard to the prevailing situation.
Indeed, the report of the Secretary-General (S/2008/662) and Mr. Mulet’s briefing are encouraging, as evidenced by Mr. Mulet’s observation that there were no major violations of the ceasefire agreement during the reporting period and that implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is slow, but steady. It is worth noting that there has been a noticeable improvement in the security situation in the area of operation of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS). The Abyei Road Map Agreement has continued to be implemented by the two sides under the supervision of the Mission. Moreover, the Joint Integrated Police Unit assumed its responsibilities in maintaining security after the departure of the forces of both sides from Abyei, and a Chief Administrator and a Deputy Administrator for the Abyei Interim Administration have been appointed. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are returning to the city voluntarily. Although their return continues to be slow, it is, nevertheless, a positive indicator.
We have also noted a decrease in violence in Southern Kordofan among ethnic groups, a start to the integration of previously closed areas around Kauda and Julud, as well as the absorption of thousands of personnel of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) into civil service departments and police structures, as stipulated by the CPA.
Also worth noting is the great progress in the redeployment of the Sudanese Armed Forces: 97 per cent of SAF personnel have been redeployed, according to UNMIS, although SPLA redeployment is still modest, barely exceeding 10 per cent. It is also encouraging to see estimates that 2.37 million refugees and IDPs have returned home since the signing of the CPA in 2005.
Furthermore, we would like to commend the progress in preparing for the elections, with the completion of the national census and adoption of an electoral law. Moreover, discussions continue on the appointment of the members of the National Electoral Commission.
We believe that the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme is a very important element in implementing the CPA and in guaranteeing stability. Thus, we welcome the holding of a round-table conference for donors this month to discuss ways to fund that programme.
While those are all positive indicators that should be commended and welcomed, that does not mean that there are no challenges that require a great deal of effort on both sides. However, we are optimistic because of the spirit prevailing between the two parties and the fruitful cooperation that they have displayed.
We commend the efforts of UNMIS to implement the various aspects of its mandate, in particular training police units, demining and raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. We also wish to commend the ongoing cooperation between UNMIS and various United Nations entities as well as the link that it has established with the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) and with other missions: those in Darfur, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad.
We welcome the Sudanese Government’s appointment of a Special Prosecutor to investigate allegations of human rights abuses committed in Darfur since 2003. That is a positive step that the Security Council must take into account when assessing the existence of conditions conducive to progress in the peace process. Furthermore, we believe that the Sudan People’s Forum, a national effort to resolve the Darfur crisis, could lead to practical measures that would help to resolve the crisis. We express our support for the Forum and call on the international community, represented by the Security Council, to support it in every way possible. We also commend the efforts of Mr. Djibril Bassolé, African Union-United Nations Joint Chief Mediator, to persuade all rebel factions to join the political settlement process in Darfur.
Last but not least, we agree with paragraph 81 of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2008/662), which states that
“developments in the Sudan will be influenced to a large extent by the relevant activities of the International Criminal Court,” — such as the indictment of President Al-Bashir — “and its actions could have the potential to profoundly affect the work of the United Nations in the Sudan, including humanitarian efforts, and the ongoing peace process in the Sudan”.
Therefore, we call on the Security Council to heed that clear warning and, at the proper time, to take the necessary decision, namely, at a minimum, to activate article 17 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
