London [UK], April 16: Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, headed the UAE delegation at the Conference for Sudan in London. Co-hosted by the United Kingdom, alongside Germany, France, the African Union, and the European Union.
The meeting convened Foreign Ministers, as well as High-Level representatives from Canada, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Kenya, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Norway, Qatar, South Sudan, Switzerland, Turkiye, Uganda, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), as well as prominent representatives from the African Union (AU), European Union (EU), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the League of Arab States, and the United Nations.
During the conference, Nusseibeh outlined the consequences of the devastating conflict that the Sudanese people continue to endure, including widespread atrocities, systematic sexual violence, the reported use of chemical weapons, and the obstruction and weaponisation of humanitarian assistance.
The UAE has condemned such acts unequivocally and has called for accountability for all violations of international humanitarian law, including the recent attacks on civilians in Darfur and the brutal assaults on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps near El Fasher.
The Assistant Minister called for a mechanism to monitor the flow of all arms into Sudan, and urged "concrete and collective action to build a peaceful, unified, and hopeful future for the country".
She stressed that in order "to secure and sustain peace in Sudan we must have a viable political process with a clear end game - the transition to an independent, civilian-led government independent from military control. The UAE is unequivocal: neither the SAF nor the RSF represents the people of Sudan and neither can bring stability to Sudan. Only a Sudanese-led, civilian-driven process rooted in civilian and independent leadership can deliver meaningful change". To develop this roadmap, she argued that the international community needed to "create new mechanisms that can deliver real impact". This includes new measures to tackle security threats and end the obstruction of aid.
Looking at the regional dimension of the conflict, she said, "Our approach must recognise that Sudan does not exist in isolation and that lasting peace requires addressing wider regional risks. This includes ensuring that Sudan never again becomes a safe haven for extremism, terrorism, and threats to international maritime security. Preventing these networks from taking root is integral to any serious effort to support Sudan's future".
Calling for a new approach from the UN to have a more robust response in the face of the systematic obstruction and weaponisation of food aid, she said: "We must reinforce a unified position: the arbitrary assertion of sovereignty must never be used to justify starvation. It must not be used to shield those who block humanitarian access or target humanitarian relief personnel and civilians. Sudan's civilians deserve protection, access, and accountability and we need to do much more".
Lana Nusseibeh also underlined during her statement, the importance of collective efforts to combat all forms of extremism and terrorism in Sudan, which includes countering extremism, hate speech, and discrimination. She also stressed the importance of achieving and sustaining the full participation of women, and supporting their full, equal, and meaningful inclusion in the political process, noting that "they inspired the 2018 transition to civilian rule and continue to serve on the frontlines through Emergency Response Rooms, often in places beyond the reach of international actors".
In conclusion, she reiterated, "The absence of a coherent and united international effort to advance a credible political process is increasingly untenable and we are rightly being called upon to deliver collective and decisive action. This moment demands principled leadership and sustained international resolve".
Since the outbreak of the conflict, the UAE has provided over US$600 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan and neighbouring countries. UAE aid is delivered impartially, based on need, and in coordination with UN partners. The UAE remains committed to standing by the Sudanese people and to working with international partners to alleviate suffering and advance peace.
During the visit to the UK, Nusseibeh held several bilateral meetings, including with the Rt. Hon. David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, Peter Lord, Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of African Affairs of the United States, Annett Weber, EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Dr. Hon Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, Jean-Noel Barrot, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, as well as Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the ICRC.
The UAE delegation included Mansour Belhoul, UAE Ambassador to the United Kingdom; and Maha Yaqoot Harqoos, Head of South Africa affairs in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Source: Emirates News Agency
