At the request of the Sudanese government, the UN Security Council today decided to end the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS).
Without the consent and political will of the host state, UN Political Missions are unable to implement their mandate. On 16 November, the government withdrew its consent for UNITAMS in a letter to the Secretary-General. In a statement after the vote, Switzerland expressed regret for the termination of the UN mission in Sudan. UNITAMS' mandate was originally intended to support the country's transition, which was abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of conflict last April. Various UN agencies will remain in the country. In the Council, Switzerland voiced its support for the recently appointed UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan and the regional peace efforts. Switzerland also appealed to all parties to the conflict to fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular to protect the civilian population.
The current conflict is taking a massive toll on the civilian population. The humanitarian situation in the country is catastrophic. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 5 million people have been displaced within Sudan since the outbreak of violence and over one million have fled to neighbouring countries to escape the consequences of the conflict. The number of displaced people is one of the highest in the world. The conflict also further exacerbates the dramatic humanitarian situation. Figures from the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirm that almost 25 million people – half of Sudan's population – are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. There is a lack of food, drinking water, hygiene facilities, shelter, medical care and protection. To respond to the acute humanitarian needs in Sudan and the affected neighbouring countries, Switzerland has provided around CHF 60 million so far this year.
Against the current backdrop of ongoing violence, displacement and humanitarian need, it is important to Switzerland that the Security Council continues to fulfil its responsibility for peace and security and remains informed about the situation in Sudan. In the negotiations on the resolution, Switzerland therefore advocated for a continued reporting to the Council on the situation in the country and the role of the UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan. The latter is to play an important role in supporting regional peace efforts.
