Foreign Ministry Briefs Diplomatic Missions on Latest Developments in Sudan

Port Sudan – Sudanhorizon
The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday organized a meeting in Port Sudan with representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited to Sudan. A number of ambassadors, chargés d’affaires, and representatives of international organizations attended the meeting.
The Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hussein Al-Amin Al-Fadul, referred during the meeting to the victories scored by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the forces supporting them on all battlefronts and congratulated the Sudanese leadership and people on these victories.
On the US sanctions against the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council, the Undersecretary said that they came at this time to cover up the great losses suffered by the rebel Rapid Support Militia and in continuation of the wrong approach by the Western powers when they equate the legitimate armed forces with a rebel militia. He said Sudan rejects such an approach.
The Undersecretary touched on the retributions against Sudanese nationals in South Sudan, including attacks against the Sudanese embassy, and considered this a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Work.
He pointed out that the events in South Sudan prompted the government to organize flights to return Sudanese citizens wishing to return to the country. He reiterated the call on the authorities in South Sudan to provide protection to Sudanese residing on its territory and to the Sudanese embassy and its members in compliance with international law.
The Undersecretary briefed the missions on the tour conducted by the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council in West Africa, which included Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania. He said that the visit achieved its objectives as it helped brief the heads of state in those countries about the Rapid Support Militia rebellion and discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation.
On the other hand, Ambassador Anas Al-Tayeb Al-Jilani, Director General of International Cooperation, highlighted the recent developments in the relationship with South Sudan. He stressed the Sudanese government’s keenness on good neighbourly relations with South Sudan despite the participation of many of its citizens in fighting as mercenaries in the ranks of the rebel militia.
Al-Jilani explained that the Sudanese government has formed a high-level committee to probe the events in Gezira state. He also explained the unilateral decisions that the government of South Sudan has been taking regarding the Abyei area status, which raises concerns for the Sudanese government and the United Nations Interim Force in Abyei (UNISFA), as these unilateral steps represent a flagrant violation of the June 20, 2011 Agreement on Administrative and Security Arrangements and relevant Security Council resolutions. In addition, Ambassador Omar Al-Amin Abdullah, Director of the Department of Peace and Humanitarian Affairs, explained the developments in the humanitarian situation, which were caused by the rebel militia deliberately obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid.
He discussed the great efforts and measures taken by the Sudanese government to facilitate the delivery of aid, such as opening crossings and airports even in areas under the umbrella of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, out of the Sudanese government’s belief in its duty towards its citizens.