Ramtane Lamamra, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy For Sudan recently travelled to Sudan, where he met senior figures of the Government, including General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan and the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The Envoy also went to Ethiopia, where he talked to a delegation from the Rapid Support Forces in the capital, Addis Ababa.
Following his trip, Mr. Lamamra shared his hopes for an end to the conflict, and the role of the UN in bringing about peace in the country.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length
UN News What progress was made during your visit?
Ramtane Lamamra I was encouraged by the support extended to my mission and the commitment of Sudanese officials to continue working with the UN and to engage with the Secretary-General’s efforts to bring peace to Sudan.
I reiterated the strong will of the United Nations to spare no effort in helping the Sudanese people to end their suffering and to achieve stability, security, democratic governance, and development.
I cannot speak of a particular breakthrough at this point in time. Nevertheless, we will continue working and persevering, with the aim of bringing the parties closer to a peaceful resolution. Our one and only choice is to continue with our endeavours.
Renk, on the border with Sudan, is at the epicentre of the emergency response to the Sudan crisis in South Sudan.
UN News Have you met with civil society and women groups and what was shared from them and you during these meetings?
Ramtane Lamamra I engaged with Sudanese civil society actors on several occasions. It is imperative to discuss with the large spectrum of Sudanese political and civilian groups, including women, youth, and marginalized voices. Those are the people who continue to suffer from the intolerable toll of this heartbreaking war.
Ending the unbearable suffering of civilians in Sudan remains a pressing priority, while we endeavour in parallel to stop the war and to launch an inclusive and credible political process.
UN News The conflict has been going on for 20 months with no end in sight, despite the continued efforts from the UN and regional organizations, what needs to be changed to achieve significant progress towards a ceasefire?
Ramtane Lamamra It is time to put an end to this conflict, which has been going on for too long, and to the suffering of the people of Sudan. All actors should put the interests of the Sudanese people first and foremost and realize that there cannot be a military solution for this war. This is the lesson of history in Sudan and elsewhere.
Sudan. Sara and her mother Mary at the WFP-supported health centre in the Philippe neighbourhood in Port Sudan
There needs to be a ceasefire that stops the bloodshed, paves the way for a negotiated agreement and a credible, inclusive Sudanese-led political process that preserves the unity of Sudan. Otherwise, the repercussions of this war will be grave for Sudan and the entire region.
I personally cannot resign myself to the notion that the second anniversary of the outbreak of the war next April would come and go without all concerned, including all influential global and regional actors, putting an extraordinary collective pressure on the belligerent parties and their respective supporters to seriously give peace a chance.
Such a long overdue pressure should also be directed at the foreign parties that supply the weapons and equipment, which feed the military illusions and miscalculations of the actors, at the expense of the wisdom and the value of a peaceful solution preserving the unity and territorial integrity as well as the wellbeing of Sudan and its people.
I will continue to engage with all concerned actors to ensure we can move forward towards our common goal. We all have to try our best. The Sudanese people deserve no less.
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