The UN Security Council will rule on Friday on a call for a ceasefire in Sudan during Ramadan which begins early next week, as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in the country.
The draft text seen by AFP, which to be adopted must receive at least nine favorable votes, without a veto from the five permanent members,
“calls on all parties for an immediate cessation of hostilities before the month of Ramadan”
.
It also calls on the belligerents to allow
“full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, including via borders and across front lines”
.
Thursday, during a meeting of the Council, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres launched a solemn appeal to
“all parties present in Sudan to honor the values held by Ramadan by ceasing hostilities for its entire duration »
.
“This cessation of hostilities must lead to definitively silencing the weapons throughout the country and allowing the Sudanese people to resolutely commit to the path to lasting peace
,” he added, warning of the humanitarian crisis in a
“disproportionate scale”
and on the famine which threatens.
The British then announced discussions on a resolution relaying this call.
Fights
The fighting, which has raged since April 15, 2023 between the army of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane and the Rapid Support Forces (FSR, paramilitary) of General Mohammed Hamdane Daglo, former number two in military power, has killed thousands deaths and some 8 million displaced - the largest population displacement crisis in the world.
While most members of the Council supported the call for this ceasefire during Ramadan on Thursday, some delegations were more reserved, notably China and Russia.
“The most urgent task is to end the fighting as quickly as possible
,” commented Deputy Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing.
But
"China believes that the Council's actions should be conducive to diplomacy and avoid exacerbating tensions
. "
“Mr. al-Burhane has just sent me a message where he welcomes the call of the secretary general
,” declared the Sudanese ambassador Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed.
But
“he wonders how to do it”
while the paramilitaries
“continuously continue their attacks against civilians”
, he added, calling on those who would like to see this call materialized to
“present an implementation mechanism »
.