• Laments poor response to Sudan’s humanitarian needs
By Emma Emeozor
United States of America has outlined its agenda for the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with a pledge to reinforce President Joe Biden’s commitment to multilateral action.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken who let this out said the president’s agenda will be pursued by engaging actively across the full spectrum of UNGA events and activities. Blinken said the United Nations provides a vital platform that can help address some of the most pressing and shared challenges that affect all of us.
He said: “We are committed to continuing to work with and through the United Nations system to find solutions to these challenges. United States is focused on partnerships, principles and reforms for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.” Blinken gave explanation of the three priorities thus:
Partnerships: Working with a broad range of countries, including those with which we sometimes disagree, is critical to tackling global challenges and delivering on issues that matter to the United States, developing countries, and the whole world.
Principles: We will continue to underscore the importance of upholding the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, including respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of every member.
Reform: We must update multilateral institutions to be more effective, inclusive, transparent, and fit for purpose.
And at an online press briefing organised US Department of State Africa Regional Media Hub, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield made further clarification on the three priorities. She said US is advancing critical partnerships bilaterally and through multilateral system within and outside the UN.
According to her, the partnerships will help to tackle global challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals which is the world’s blueprint for a more just, more peaceful, and more prosperous future.
Thomas-Greenfield said Washington will work to strengthen partnerships, including with countries US sometimes disagree with. She assured that during this year’s UNGA, US will work to uphold the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, including respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all Member States.
She said US also redouble its efforts, working alongside its partners to defend the fundamental freedoms of all just as the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights approaches.
“The President will meet with world leaders to discuss collaboration on shared priorities. And he will address the General Assembly where he will reaffirm our country’s leadership in countering threats to international peace and security, protecting human rights, and advancing global prosperity and development, she said.
The envoy highlighted the nature of reforms he government is pushing for at the UN. According to her, they are “reforms that will make international institutions more effective, inclusive, transparent, accountable, and fit for purpose in this century.”
Meanwhile, Thomas-Greenfield who has just concluded a trip to Chad, explained that the trip was to shed light on the ongoing atrocities being perpetrated by armed groups in the conflict in Sudan, and to meet with Sudanese refugees in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
‘And it really was a harrowing experience. I met families who were driven from their homes by unthinkable violence. I saw children wasting away in a makeshift hospital. And I heard stories of women and girls who faced sexual violence,” she said.
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She appealed to the international community to do more to help the Sudanese people. She lamented that Sudan’s Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 is less than 30 percent funded. “And that is truly unacceptable. And Member States that can give more must give more. And they must give more now,” noting “the United States is the world’s leading donor to Sudan’s emergency response.”
While in Chad, she announced an additional $163 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Sudan and neighboring countries. “During my trip, I also announced U.S. sanctions on Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti for his connections to abuses by the RSF and associated militia against civilians in Sudan,” she added.
Continuing, she said: “Additionally, we have imposed U.S. visa restrictions on RSF General and West Darfur Commander Abdul Rahman Juma for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights. We will continue to do everything possible to prevent and respond to ongoing atrocities and to bring international attention to this brutal conflict. To hold those accountable who have committed these atrocities.”
She recalled that during her presidency of the Security Council last month, the body held the first open debate on the conflict in Sudan. “And I will continue to raise this issue in the Council, and will continue to focus on this during High-Level Week.”
On the many different peace efforts that don’t seem to be coordinating and the need for the Security Council to try and coordinate the mediation effort and try and get everyone on the same page to achieve something, Thomas-Greenfield responded Thus: “First let me say how disappointed I was at Volker Perthes’ announcement yesterday that he was leaving. He’s done an extraordinary job under extraordinarily difficult circumstances, and he really should be applauded for that.
“We support a coordinated to find the peaceful way forward. And that means having the AU, the Arab League, the neighboring countries all come together to find a path forward, because the Sudanese warring parties are kind of form shopping on who they will allow to negotiate a settlement and that should not be the case. We have to come together so that, that does not happen.”
