The Sudanese government has failed to implement fully commitments to improve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday in the first 30-day assessment of the conflict in that region.
Annan’s report, drawn up by his special envoy for Sudan, Jan Pronk, was submitted to the UN Security Council for discussion on Thursday. The 15-nation council has threatened to impose sanctions against Khartoum in case of failure to meet those commitments.
The conclusion that Khartoum has so far failed to show progress in achieving its commitments would prompt the council to impose sanctions. The council has already imposed an arms embargo on the Khartoum-backed Arab militias fighting in Darfur.
”The [Sudanese] government has not met this obligation fully, despite the commitments it has made and its obligations under Resolution 1556,” the report said, referring to the demand to stop attacks against civilians. It said it is Khartoum’s responsibility to protect the civilians.
”After 18 months of conflict and 30 days after the adoption of Resolution 1556, the government of Sudan has not been able to resolve the crisis in Darfur, and has not met some of the core commitments it has made,” the report said.
The council adopted Resolution 1556 in early August, demanding that Khartoum carry out its commitments, which include improving security for the 1,3-million internally displaced people, disarm the Arab militias, lift access for humanitarian relief and establish human-rights monitoring and investigation.
The council said sanctions would be imposed in case of failure to meet those demands. Annan has been asked to submit further reports every 30 days. — Sapa-DPA
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