76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
UN Security Council briefing on UNITAMS
Statement by Ambassador Sven Jürgenson
December 10, New York
I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Perthes for his insightful briefing. I also welcome the participation of chargé d’affaires/representative of Sudan in this meeting.
Mr. President,
When Estonia joined the Security Council almost two years ago, Sudan was in a very different – hopeful – place. Throughout our membership we saw Sudan slowly but steadily make progress towards the goals of the Revolution. Unfortunately, all this progress was put into jeopardy when the military decided to seize power. Estonia condemns in the strongest terms the military coup of 25 October, which seriously threatens the democratic, peace and economic gains that Sudan has made over the course of last years. Therefore, it is important to restore the democratic transition without delays before more harm is done. It is important to win back the trust of Sudanese people.
The signing of the 21 November political agreement was a step in the right direction. However, more needs to be done. We call on all stakeholders to now fully implement the political agreement, and continue a meaningful and inclusive dialogue, which would facilitate national reconciliation. For this to happen, the use of excessive force against peaceful protestors must stop. Thorough investigations need to be conducted into deaths and injuries resulting from excessive and disproportionate use of force by military and security forces. Estonia also calls on the release of all people, who have been arbitrarily arrested for political reasons since 25 October. To respond to the aspirations of Sudanese people, prompt formation of a civilian cabinet, the Transitional Legislative Council and other transitional governance and oversight institutions, should also remain a priority. We also call on the early publication of a credible timetable for elections.
Mr. President,
We are concerned about the impact of the political instability on the situation in Darfur, where there have been increased attacks against civilians. Efforts must be re-doubled to ensure the safety of civilians, including women and children. Estonia calls for the swift operationalization of the National Action Plan for Civilian Protection. We also urge all parties to the Juba Peace Agreement to accelerate implementation of the agreement. Making progress in these areas, will be critical in building a better future.
Mr. President,
To conclude, Estonia hopes that, despite the recent setbacks, Sudan will be able to continue its path to achieve full democracy, as envisioned by the revolution of 2019. We hope that Sudan and UNITAMS will continue to strengthen their cooperation with the purpose of making tangible progress, including in the areas of democratic transition, peace, human rights and civilian protection. I reiterate Estonia’s full support to Sudanese people to achieve democracy, peace and prosperity.
Thank you.