"We, the Foreign Ministers of like-minded partners (France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, UK), are deeply concerned by reports of a continued assault on El Obeid, despite calls for a halt to the attack and protection of civilians.
We call on the RSF to halt its attack immediately. Civilians must be able to leave safely, and all parties must ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. The RSF and the SAF, and their allies, must de-escalate, uphold international humanitarian law, and honour their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration." More.
UK and allies Joint Statement on the situation in El Obeid
The United Kingdom and E4+deliver a joint statement on the situation in El Obeid, Sudan.
We, the Foreign Ministers of like-minded partners (France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, UK), are deeply concerned by reports of a continued assault on El Obeid, despite calls for a halt to the attack and protection of civilians.
Last year, the world witnessed with horror the atrocities in El Fasher - crimes that are assessed to bear the “hallmarks of genocide”. We must not allow such failures to be repeated.
In recent weeks, repeated drone strikes on El Obeid have killed civilians and driven acute shortages of fuel, food and water. With the rainy season fast approaching, humanitarian workers continue to provide life-saving assistance but are being deliberately targeted.
There are now credible signs of an imminent offensive. This is a critical moment, and the international community must act.
We call on the RSF to halt its attack immediately. Civilians must be able to leave safely, and all parties must ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. The RSF and the SAF, and their allies, must de-escalate, uphold international humanitarian law, and honour their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration.
External support continues to sustain this conflict. We call on those fuelling the conflict to cease, and those with influence must exercise it now to avoid further bloodshed.
We will continue to work closely at the UN Security Council and with regional and international partners to secure a clear and unified response: the violence must end, civilians must be protected, and those responsible must be held to account. We remain committed to supporting a credible path to peace through the Quintet-led process and call on all parties to engage in good faith.
PEOPLE who criticise the United Kingdom's non-stop support to Sudan over the past 22+ years do not know what they are talking about. Sudan is a former British protectorate. Historic ties between Britain and Sudan stretch back more than a century. The UK has never stopped caring about Sudan.
Below is a must-see UN video followed by reports from the hundreds in Sudan Watch's archive relating to the UK's support to Sudan since 2003.
Note that the UK is a 'Penholder' at the United Nations (UN). This includes (but is not limited to) Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The US is the penholder on Sudan sanctions and South Sudan.
"With few exceptions, Council outcomes on specific conflict-related situations are drafted by one of the P3 (France, the UK and the US) as the self-appointed penholders.
Permanent members China and Russia have in recent years occasionally served as co-penholders with the US on non-proliferation issues in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Golan Heights, respectively. Elected members have served as penholders on Afghanistan, Guinea-Bissau and some thematic issues (see Annex for details)."
France is one of the founding members of the UN and plays a key role in many issues. Since 1945, it has been a member of the Security Council where it sits as a permanent member alongside the United Kingdom, the United States, China and Russia.
Sudan: Vote on a Draft Resolution to Protect Civilians
WATCH VIDEO: 14 in favour, 1 against (Russia), 0 abstentions
Chaired by the UK's Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs The Rt Hon David Lammy MP. A powerful speech by Mr Lammy is on the video, after the vote, followed by statements given by the representative for each country, including Russia and Sudan.
Live broadcast courtesy of UN Media 18 Nov 2024 2:30PM GMT UK
Click “Settings” cog for sub-titles in English, Russian, Spanish, Interlingua, Chinese, Arabic, French.
Blair arrives in Khartoum to press for Darfur peace - Blair outlines demands to Sudan
British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew in to Khartoum earlier today. He is the most senior Western government official to visit Sudan since the Darfur conflict erupted.
(29 Mar 2017) Britain and Sudan agreed on Wednesday to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against "violent extremism". The commitment followed a meeting between delegations from the two countries in Khartoum. Director for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Neil Wigan led the British delegation, while Sudan's Undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry Abdul Ghani al-Naeem the Sudanese. The issues of human trafficking, illegal immigration were also on the agenda. The last strategic dialogue between the two countries took place in London last October.
Sudan is the Origin of Humanity, Says Oxford Study
According to the two articles copied here below, everybody alive today came from one African country, Sudan. Note that an excerpt from World History says: "Kush was a kingdom in northern Africain the region corresponding to modern-day Sudan. The larger region around Kush (later referred to as Nubia) was inhabited c. 8,000 BCE but The Kingdom of Kush rose much later."
HERE is a speech by UK's Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan held 13 March 2025.
Note, fighting in Sudan has displaced approximately 12.8 million people, roughly 3.7 million of whom have sought refuge in Sudan’s neighbouring countries—the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda. Read more in report from What's in Blue below.
In April, the UK’s Foreign Secretary will convene Foreign Ministers in London to help end the conflict and to improve the humanitarian response.
Published: Thursday 13 March 2025 Speech location: United Nations, New York Delivered on 13 March 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) - full copy:
Greater international action is needed to tackle widespread sexual violence in Sudan: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.
Thank you to our briefers UNICEF and MSF.
As you have made clear, women and girls in Sudan continue to face the worst horrors of this conflict.
Almost two years since the fighting began, more than 12 million people are now at risk of sexual and gender-based violence, according to UNICEF reports.
And Sudan’s healthcare system has been decimated by the conflict, making it even harder for survivors to access support.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary travelled to the Sudan-Chad border in January and met survivors of sexual violence who shared their harrowing stories of rape and torture.
And the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has reported that rape and gang rape is widespread in the context of the conflict in Sudan.
Acts of sexual violence constitute crimes under international law.
And it is the responsibility of this Council to act.
President, it is clear that greater international action is needed to tackle widespread sexual violence in Sudan. The United Kingdom is committed to playing its part.
This week I joined a meeting of the International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, convened by Ukraine, to discuss the urgent need for joined-up, survivor-centred responses.
Through the UK-funded Women’s Integrated Sexual Health programme, we are providing sexual and reproductive services to women and children in Sudan.
We are also working with UN and NGO partners to provide safe spaces, mobile clinic treatment, dignity kits and psycho-social services for survivors.
But to have most impact, it is important that the international community comes together to address sexual violence in Sudan by taking 4 key steps.
First, by continuing to press the warring parties to comply with the commitments they made to protect civilians in the Jeddah Declaration.
Second, by giving support to civil society organisations on the ground who are playing a crucial role in assisting survivors of sexual violence.
Third, by supporting the International Criminal Court and the UN Fact-Finding Mission to carry out impartial investigations.
And fourth, by ensuring that the protection of civilians remains at the top of this Council’s agenda.
President, looking ahead, in April, the UK’s Foreign Secretary will convene Foreign Ministers in London to help end the conflict and to improve the humanitarian response.
Bringing an end to the conflict will be a critical step towards ending sexual and gender-based violence in Sudan.
Colleagues, we must continue working together closely until we achieve that goal.
Nearly two years into the war, which started on 15 April 2023, Sudan has witnessed a devastating humanitarian crisis, resulting in significant civilian casualties, mass displacement, and acute food and water shortages.
The crisis has also been marked by a collapse of healthcare and essential services and grave violations of international humanitarian law, including widespread incidents of CRSV.
The fighting has displaced approximately 12.8 million people, roughly 3.7 million of whom have sought refuge in Sudan’s neighbouring countries—the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda.
