Before the UN Security Council in New York on Thursday, Blinken outlined three priorities to address the Sudanese crisis: addressing the humanitarian crisis, pressuring both sides to stop fighting, and restoring the path to civilian transition.
“The Security Council must pressure both warring parties to protect civilians, stop atrocities, and end the fighting,” Blinken said.
Imposing more sanctions
Blinken noted that the “United to Stop Violations in Sudan” group proposed a compliance mechanism consisting of a committee that includes representatives from the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces, and the international community, to ensure that each side adheres to international law and its obligations under the Jeddah Declaration.
Blinken stressed that the United States will use all possible means, including imposing more sanctions, to prevent violations and hold accountable those responsible for crimes committed during the current war.
Blinken also called on international partners to impose similar sanctions on individuals and organizations whose actions exacerbate the conflict. He said that his country encourages such measures at the bilateral and multilateral levels.
Last month, the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone introduced a draft resolution in the Security Council calling for a ceasefire, protection of civilians in Sudan, and increased and unhindered humanitarian aid. But Russia vetoed the resolution, despite fourteen members voting in favor.
Fueling the War
In this context, Blinken described Russia’s objection to the resolution as “ridiculous and unacceptable,” adding: “Russia claims to care about African countries while continuing to fuel Africa’s largest war.”
Blinken called on the international community to continue supporting the Sudanese people and helping them revive the transition to inclusive, civilian-led democratic rule. He affirmed the United States’ support for the African Union’s call last December for a return to a civilian-led constitutional order in Sudan.
In support of the civilian transition, Blinken announced that the US State Department will work with Congress to provide $30 million to empower Sudanese civil society and raise its voices in the dialogue about the country’s future.
“The military coup in 2021 and the brutal fighting that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023 derailed Sudan’s transition to democracy and unleashed the world’s largest humanitarian crisis,” he added. Blinken concluded his warning that failure to address the Sudanese crisis threatens international peace, saying, “The world cannot—and should not—ignore the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Sudan under our watch, before our eyes.”
