ABDALLA ADAM HAMDOK, Prime Minister of Sudan, said only international cooperation and multilateral action can give true meaning to the slogan “no one is safe till everyone is safe” while ensuring access to vaccines for poor countries.  He commended the World Health Organization’s provision of technical assistance to Sudan and the effective role it has played since the outbreak of coronavirus.  He said that in order to build a safe and stable Sudan, “where everyone lives in peace prosperity”, the Transitional Government continues to implement policies that seek to lay the foundations for democracy and the rule of law and to promote human rights.

Outlining recent progress, he highlighted Sudan’s ratification of the international conventions against enforced disappearances and against torture, as well as its adoption of a foreign policy strategy “based on the principles of mutual respect, good neighbourly relations, and cooperation”.  He also highlighted the economic, security and political impact of the flow of refugees into Sudan.  Recalling the 2020 appeal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, he urged the international community to uphold its pledges, saying that will enable his Government to better address that humanitarian crisis.

Concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River, he warned of the dangers posed by Addis Ababa’s second unilateral filling of its reservoir while emphasizing his country’s readiness to participate in “any peaceful initiative bringing all parties concerned together in search of an agreement acceptable to all parties”.  He went on to stress that, despite the progress made during the “glorious revolution” after decades of injustice, Sudan continues to face “sizable challenges” in its pursuit of economic reforms.  Calling for international support, he thanked France for organizing the Paris conference and all countries that have forgiven Sudan's foreign debt.

He noted that Sudan’s removal from the list of the State sponsors of terrorism enables his country to “return to the international family after an absence of three decades”.  Highlighting Khartoum’s signing of the status-of-forces agreement with the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAM), he affirmed his Government’s commitment to provide the facilities necessary to support the Mission’s goal — Sudan’s democratic transition in accordance with resolution 2425 (2018).  Sudan hopes the international community, the United Nations and UNITAM will play an effective role in building peace, ensuring the return of displaced persons and in mobilizing resources for demobilization and reintegration – all of which will expedite implementation of the peace agreement, he said.