Statement by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the briefing on the Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

I would also like to thank Ms. Wosornu from OCHA as well as Mr. Omollo from World Food Programme for their sobering remarks as well as for very clear appeal to the Security Council. We commend and appreciate their tireless efforts to help the people of Sudan.

Slovenia felt unquestionable obligation to support the convening of this meeting following alarming reports from the IPC Famine Review Committee and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network.

Mr. President, colleagues, I have to begin with my utmost conviction that famine has no place in the 21^st Century.

When my team and I were preparing to join this Council as an elected member, there were many difficult challenges, tricky dilemmas and tough decisions that we were bracing for. Yet, there is nothing that can prepare one for a discussion about utterly senseless, avoidable and entirely preventable man-made famine.

There’s hardly anything that can prepare one for a famine declaration that confirms conservative estimates of 750.000 people on the brink of starvation and death and 48 million people in situation of chronic hunger. One should not have to prepare for a famine declaration that confirms skyrocketing non-trauma mortality among adults and children alike in the Zamzam IDP camp near the city of El Fasher and an unprecedented growth of graves around it.

Secondly, 15 months into the conflict, we strongly reiterate our call for unimpeded humanitarian access via all available cross line and cross border routes to prevent further suffering.

This Council has heard over and over again about the sufficiency of Tine crossing. I took a closer look at the situation at the crossing. A body of water – hardly possible to cross – cannot be a sufficient humanitarian entry point. This is why better connectivity must be prioritized – opening of the Adre corridor, as confirmed today by OCHA and WFP, would bring a much needed relief to the local communities. We strongly appeal to the Sudanese authorities to consider this option. It looks like the only option to prevent further deaths of starvation.

We are deeply concerned about the added pressure on the communities in the light of the climate-induced heavy rainfall and danger of flash floods. This is why, we are asking for functional access, full facilitation of humanitarian aid by all sides, protection of aid workers, prevention of bureaucratic hurdles for the humanitarian partners, including smoother visa procedures for the international non-governmental humanitarian actors.

Slovenia underlines the importance of the UN Famine Response Plan and food aid deliveries as well as FAO’s emergency agriculture programmes, crop production, livestock and fisheries support to enhance local food production. In response to the urgent funding needs, the Government of Slovenia confirmed an additional contribution to the World Food Programme for the Horn of Africa.

Thirdly, a durable political solution is the only way to fully avert the spread of famine and alleviate humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan. Slovenia repeats its call for an immediate ceasefire as demanded by the Security Council resolution 2736.

We welcome the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary General Lamamra, including the convening of the recent proximity talks in Geneva. We also welcome other international and regional diplomatic efforts to bring the warring parties on the path of dialogue towards an immediate and durable ceasefire. This meeting of the UN Security Council must serve as another united call for the warring parties to implement their agreed commitments and move the needle in the political standstill.

We fear Zamzam is not an isolated case. Reports indicate that conditions in Abu Shouk and Al Salam are equally alarming. There are two clear drivers of hunger – the violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces and the obstacles posed to the humanitarian access on both sides.

We reiterate our call to Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to comply with resolution 2417 on hunger and conflict and 2736 on El Fasher. The use of starvation as a method of warfare is prohibited by international humanitarian law on top of being utterly inhumane.

Mr. President,

There is no humanitarian action that can replace the cessation of hostilities. No humanitarian agency can override the protection crisis, while arms embargo is being repeatedly violated.

And no financial contribution echoes louder than the silence of the guns.

Thank you.

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