Sudan Responds to ICC Prosecutor’s Report Before UN Security Council

New York – Sudanhorizon
Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Al-Harith Idris Al-Harith, presented Sudan’s official response to the 41st report of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor during a UN Security Council session held on Thursday.
In the detailed statement, Sudan reaffirmed its cooperation with the ICC, highlighting the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding with the Prosecutor’s Office and legislative reforms that incorporated core international crimes into national laws. However, Sudan clarified that while it had taken steps toward joining the Rome Statute, it has not yet ratified it.
The government outlined its continued engagement with the ICC, including multiple visits by ICC teams to Port Sudan and a Sudanese delegation’s visit to The Hague in late 2024. Sudan emphasised that its liaison committee had responded to most pending ICC requests, despite the challenges posed by the ongoing conflict.
Sudan confirmed its cooperation in investigating both historical and recent atrocities in Darfur, including those following the outbreak of war on 15 April 2023. The statement detailed investigations into alleged genocide against the Masalit ethnic group and the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abakar. It noted that over 120,000 criminal complaints had been filed against members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with nearly 4,000 cases referred to court.
The Sudanese delegation accused the RSF of launching a premeditated rebellion in April 2023, citing attacks on Merowe Airport and the attempted assassination of the Sovereignty Council president. The RSF was described as a tribal, ethnically recruited force financed by illicit means and foreign sponsors. Sudan alleged that RSF forces committed war crimes, including the execution of prisoners and drone strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Sudan urged the ICC to expand its investigations to include foreign actors allegedly supporting the RSF with weapons, drones, and logistical support, calling this a new act of aggression. The statement concluded with a plea for increased international support—financial, political, and logistical—to bolster the ICC’s ability to investigate ongoing atrocities in Darfur and ensure accountability.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=6411