UNITED NATIONS, Oct 24 (APP): With Sudan’s crisis spiraling deeper, Pakistan has warned a key meeting at United Nations’ Headquarters in New York that the conflict has no military solution and urged all parties to lay down arms and uphold international law, declaring that peace cannot be forged through war.
“The tragedy in Sudan has continued for far too long; We must make every effort to end the conflict,” the Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Usman Jadoon, told the joint meeting between members of the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council on Friday.
Highlighting that the meeting between the two Councils was taking place at an important moment, the Pakistani envoy said it should send a coherent message: “preserve Sudan’s unity and State institutions; end external support sustaining the conflict; pursue an immediate cessation of violence; and create space for an inclusive political process under meaningful African leadership.”
Sudan has been engulfed in the conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between former allies — the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF).
What began as a power struggle metastasized into deadly conflicts across the country, with fighting in Kordofan and Blue Nile, and drone strikes threatening and killing civilians and attacks disrupting humanitarian operations
“Our approach to Sudan should be guided by two overriding objectives: alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people and preserving Sudan as a united, sovereign and stable State,” Ambassador Jadoon told top diplomats.
In this regard, the Pakistani envoy welcomed the recent the engagement of the African Union (AU) Special Representative with the Sudanese authorities and the visit to Khartoum and its consultations with the leadership, political and civilian actors, women and youth.
Pakistan, he said, firmly rejects any fragmentation of Sudan, emphasizing that its national institutions must be preserved and that parallel political, military, or governance structures cannot provide a pathway to peace.
Expressing deep concern over the ongoing hostilities in Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile, Ambassador Jadoon strongly condemns the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces, specifically those in El Geneina and El Fasher.
“We call upon all parties to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law, ensure the protection of civilians and vital infrastructure, and permit safe, rapid, and sustained humanitarian access.”
Underscoring the need for addressing the external dimensions of the Sudanese war, Ambassador Jadoon said, “The continued flow of weapons, financing, mercenaries and logistical support has prolonged the conflict and sustained the belief that military victory remains possible.
“The existing arms embargo must be effectively implemented and violations addressed.”
The emerging coherence among mediation initiatives must be consolidated, he said.
“Ultimately, peace must be Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned,” the Pakistani envoy said, noting the Sudanese government efforts for a national dialogue.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
