United Nations Human Rights Council: Special Session on the human rights situation in Sudan

Ministry Statements & Speeches:

Delivered by New Zealand Permanent Representative Lucy Duncan.

Mr President,

New Zealand is deeply concerned by the alarming human rights situation in Sudan. The many hundreds killed, thousands wounded, and hundreds of thousands displaced, are a grim testimony to the toll the conflict has already taken on the people of Sudan. But these numbers tell only part of the story. The destruction wrought by the fighting has thrown the population into a humanitarian crisis, stands in the way of Sudan’s transition to democracy and imperils the human rights of the Sudanese people.

New Zealand urges the parties to the conflict to negotiate and adhere to a ceasefire to alleviate human suffering, particularly by allowing access for humanitarian aid, and with a view to agreeing a long term, negotiated peaceful settlement, enabling the transition to civilian-led government.

Mr President, reports of human rights violations and abuses by the combatants to the conflict, including reports of sexual and gender-based violence, are deeply distressing. It is therefore entirely appropriate that the Human Rights Council is holding this Special Session. New Zealand supports this resolution, which enhances the existing mandate of the High Commissioner’s designated Expert on Human Rights in the Sudan, and is complementary to other international and regional efforts towards peace in Sudan.

We urge all Council members to support its adoption.

Thank you Mr President.

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