UN General Assembly president calls for ‘urgent’ action to address crisis in Sudan

Philémon Yang criticizes the increasing use of veto power in the Security Council

Nov. 27 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The president of the United Nations General Assembly, Philémon Yang, called on its members on Tuesday for “urgent” collective action to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, after the Resolution Council rejected in early November a resolution to strengthen measures to protect civilians and increase access to humanitarian aid throughout the African country.

Yang, who holds the annual presidency of this body in its 79th session, has drawn attention to the deteriorating situation in Sudan, where the 19-month conflict has left almost 80 percent of the centers inoperative. health in the affected areas and has increased reports of human rights violations, especially sexual violence against women and girls.

“This suffering must end,” he said, while calling for the establishment of an “immediate” dialogue, the cessation of hostilities and a “sustainable” resolution of the conflict between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). .

The Cameroonian made these statements at a meeting of the UN General Assembly convened after Russia exercised its veto power and overturned a Security Council resolution that would have allowed for improved access to humanitarian assistance and thereby alleviated the suffering of the Sudanese.

Thus, Yang has expressed his “deep concern” about the growing use of this prerogative in the Security Council since 2022.

“This alarming trend highlights, once again, the urgent need for the General Assembly to take the lead on critical issues of peace and security when the Security Council is paralyzed and unable to fulfill its core mandate,” he said. reported.

Likewise, the president has urged the international community not to let the crisis in Sudan “take a backseat” amid other global conflicts.

“It is equally tragic, equally urgent, and demands action. I urge the Security Council to assume its responsibilities and fulfill its mandate to defend international peace and security,” he concluded.

Sudan is mired in a civil war following hostilities that broke out in April 2023 within the framework of increased tensions over the integration of the RSF within the Armed Forces, a key part of a signed agreement in December 2022 to form a new civilian government and reactivate the open transition after the 2019 overthrow of Omar Hasan al Bashir, damaged by the October 2021 coup, in the that the then transition minister, Abdullah Hamdok, was overthrown.