スーダンにおける人道状況に関する安保理会合における山﨑大使ステートメント

 

Thank you, Mr. President.
 
I also thank Ms. Wosornu, Director of OCHA, and Mr. Omollo, Assistant Executive Director of WFP, for their sobering briefings today. I also appreciate my fellow Council Members for requesting this timely and important briefing upon the issuance of the IPC’s Famine Review Committee Report on Zamzam camp in North Darfur.    

Let me start my statement by repeating Japan’s grave concern about the dire humanitarian situation that the Sudanese people are facing. The spreading of violence and continued violations of international law, including many cases of sexual and gender-based violence, remains extremely alarming.
 
Mr. President,
 
Regarding food insecurity in Sudan, Japan is deeply concerned about the situation of Zamzam camp reported in the IPC report. It found that famine, IPC Phase 5, is plausibly ongoing and will persist in the coming months. The report shockingly concludes that the mortality rate in the camp has exceeded the threshold of famine. Japan also notes that the report finds it highly likely that similar conditions are prevailing in other camps in the area.
 
At national level, according to briefers, nearly one third of the country’s population is facing acute food insecurity, and women, children, and girls are particularly affected. The Sudanese Government has indicated that food insecurity is caused mainly by the access problem. The situation will worsen next year because they lack agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and insecticide and farmers will not be able to properly plant crops. They are also concerned with the risk of communicable diseases including cholera and dengue fever because of heavy rain and flooding.     
 
To end this prolonged suffering, all parties involved must enable the conditions to cease hostilities immediately throughout the country, enter into serious, direct negotiations as called for by the Jeddah process mediators, and agree and implement an immediate and lasting ceasefire without conditions. Japan also urges all parties to uphold Security Council resolution 2736 (2024) calling for an immediate halt to the fighting and de-escalations in and around El-Fasher.

We also demand that the parties ensure protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, and request that the parties allow and facilitate the full, rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained passage of humanitarian relief.
 
In this vein, as recommended by the IPC report, unhindered cross-border and crossline access for large-scale deliveries particularly through all-season roads is crucial. Multi-sectoral response including provision of agricultural inputs to ensure proper planting as well as health and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) is also important. We call on all parties to the conflict to further cooperate and coordinate with UN and other humanitarian agencies to ensure that assistance reaches destinations across Sudan.
 
To conclude, I would like to reiterate Japan’s support to the UN-led and other international and regional diplomatic efforts to achieve a sustainable end to the conflict and alleviate people’s devastation.
 
Japan unwaveringly supports the immediate realization of peace in Sudan, which the Sudanese people suffering from this prolonged anguish deserve.
 
Thank you.