UN votes to continue Sudan probe as humanitarian crisis worsens

The UN Human Rights Council voted on Wednesday to extend its investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Sudan amid ongoing conflict.

The vote took place despite strong objections from Burhan’s army representative.

Twenty-three of the council’s 47 member states supported the continuation of the independent international fact-finding mission in Sudan.

Meanwhile, twelve countries voted against the extension, and twelve others abstained from the vote.

The investigation was initiated last October by the United Nations’ leading human rights body.

Its purpose is to examine alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law amidst the ongoing war in Sudan.

A coalition of countries, including Britain, Germany, Norway, and the United States, proposed renewing the fact-finding mission’s one-year mandate for an additional year.

British ambassador Simon Manley presented the draft resolution. He highlighted the “appalling suffering” experienced by Sudanese civilians during the ongoing conflict.

Manley emphasized the need for independent monitoring and accountability for the atrocities faced by the Sudanese people.

The war in Sudan has persisted since April 2023, with violent clashes between Al Burhan’s army (SAF) and rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The SAF is led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, while the RSF is commanded by his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

The ongoing conflict has led to what the U.S. ambassador Michele Taylor described as the “gravest humanitarian crisis in the world.”

Belgium’s envoy, speaking for the European Union, highlighted the persistent impunity in the conflict.

Christophe Payot stated that reversing this trend is essential for achieving a lasting peace in Sudan.

French ambassador Jerome Bonnafont called the extension of the mission “crucial.”

He stressed the need to keep Sudan’s conflict at the forefront of the international agenda.

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