Statement to the Security Council on the humanitarian ... - OCHANet
Statement to the Security Council on the humanitarian ... - OCHANet
Statement to the Security Council on the humanitarian ... - OCHANet
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CHECKED AGAINST DELIVERYBriefing <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Security</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Council</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>humanitarian</strong> situati<strong>on</strong> in Sudan<str<strong>on</strong>g>Statement</str<strong>on</strong>g> by John HolmesUnder-Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordina<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>r26 March 2009Mr. President,Thank you for this opportunity <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> brief <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Council</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>humanitarian</strong> situati<strong>on</strong> innor<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rn Sudan.`Five years ago next week, my predecessor <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ld <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Council</str<strong>on</strong>g> that more than <strong>on</strong>e milli<strong>on</strong>people in Darfur faced a <strong>humanitarian</strong> emergency. Relief operati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re grew after that <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>become <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> largest operati<strong>on</strong> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> world. Today, after five l<strong>on</strong>g years, not least for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> people ofSudan, it is disheartening that we are now scrambling <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> find ways <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> life-sustainingneeds for more than <strong>on</strong>e milli<strong>on</strong> people due <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> removal of 16 n<strong>on</strong>-governmentalorganizati<strong>on</strong>s, all of whom are critical <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> that <strong>humanitarian</strong> operati<strong>on</strong>, and as partners <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>United Nati<strong>on</strong>s.Following <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> decisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> remove <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se NGOs, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> United Nati<strong>on</strong>s and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government ofSudan agreed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a joint assessment of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> gaps left and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> capacity <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> fill <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m in four criticalsec<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs: food, water and sanitati<strong>on</strong>, health and nutriti<strong>on</strong>, and shelter, through visits <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> a number ofareas in Darfur.This joint assessment, agreed with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government and released earlier this week, revealsboth <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extent of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> gaps and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> lack of capacity <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ground <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m properly, even in<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> short term, despite <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> best efforts of those remaining in Darfur, including those of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>Government’s own line ministries. In short, while <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se efforts can plug some of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> biggestholes for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> next few weeks, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cumulative effects over time of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> removal of such a largeamount of <strong>humanitarian</strong> capacity significantly increase <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> risks <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> well over a milli<strong>on</strong> people.This is why we have been urging that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government’s decisi<strong>on</strong> should be reversed.Mr. President,Let me briefly summarise <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> findings of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> joint assessment. In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> food aid sec<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>r,thanks <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> rapid resp<strong>on</strong>se by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> World Food Programme, 1.1 milli<strong>on</strong> people are receivingrati<strong>on</strong>s for March and April via an ad hoc <strong>on</strong>e-off distributi<strong>on</strong> by local food committees.However, this emergency distributi<strong>on</strong> will not reach all beneficiaries, and specialized m<strong>on</strong>i<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ringcapacity <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> ensure <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> most vulnerable do not fall through <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cracks has been lost. As <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>‘hunger gap’ quickly approaches, when food is in any case in shorter supply than usual, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>World Food Programme needs partners with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> experience and expertise <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> assume <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> manyresp<strong>on</strong>sibilities needed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> ensure food aid is delivered successfully and sustainably.In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case of water, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> assessment showed that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> emergency resources currentlydeployed by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government’s water department, UNICEF, and nati<strong>on</strong>al NGOs <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> supply morethan 800,000 people with drinkable water may become increasingly ineffective within four weeksdue <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> loss of critical systems that ensured <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sistent provisi<strong>on</strong> of mechanics, spare parts,transport, and fuel. These kinds of networks, specialized knowledge and expertise cannot be1
CHECKED AGAINST DELIVERYreplaced or rebuilt quickly. The Government this week committed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mselves <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> sustain <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ireffort until <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> end of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> year. This is welcome.The departure of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> NGOs has left a particularly serious gap in sanitati<strong>on</strong> services insome areas. Without regular maintenance, latrines will overflow, threatening <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> spread ofdiseases like cholera. The rainy seas<strong>on</strong> starting in May is likely <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> make <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> situati<strong>on</strong> significantlyworse. In Zam Zam, in North Darfur, where nearly 40,000 men, women, and children havearrived in recent weeks seeking refuge from violence in South Darfur, we need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> build newsanitati<strong>on</strong> systems.In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> health sec<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>r, we have lost significant capacity <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> m<strong>on</strong>i<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>r and mitigate diseaseoutbreaks, <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> treat diseases, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> prevent loss of life, particularly in light of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current outbreakof meningitis across <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> regi<strong>on</strong>. This loss will be compounded fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r during <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> rainy seas<strong>on</strong>,when water borne diseases increase. The departure of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> NGOs has left 650,000 people withlower levels of access <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> basic health services. Rural areas will most likely be hardest hit, where<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> expelled NGOs operated a number of mobile clinics. The Sudanese Ministry of Health, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>World Health Organizati<strong>on</strong>, and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs are resp<strong>on</strong>ding as best <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y can. The sustainability of thisresp<strong>on</strong>se is in questi<strong>on</strong>, but again it is welcome that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government has committed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> providingsalaries, staff and supplies until <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> end of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> year.For shelter and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r critical n<strong>on</strong>-food items, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> UN Joint Logistics Centre lost itsprimary implementing partner in Care Internati<strong>on</strong>al, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ability <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> ensure nearly700,000 people are provided with critical materials necessary <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> protect families ahead of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rainy seas<strong>on</strong>. The Government should allow UNJLC access <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> its own supplies <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> findemergency means <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> deliver this shelter assistance, not least <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> new arrivals in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> camps.Ano<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r critical area of c<strong>on</strong>cern is finance. Pledges by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> federal government <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> providefunding until <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> end of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> year in health, water and sanitati<strong>on</strong> are welcome. They need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> bequickly implemented <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> allay state-level c<strong>on</strong>cerns over how <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tinue <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>se bey<strong>on</strong>d nextm<strong>on</strong>th. UN agencies and remaining NGOs have in many cases already been approached <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> payfor a substantial part of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> activities, in particular <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> logistical and operati<strong>on</strong>al costs of health,nutriti<strong>on</strong> and water programming, such as utilities, maintenance, fuel, and fresh food for patients.Finally, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> assessment also underlines a fundamental c<strong>on</strong>cern that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> significantmanagerial and technical expertise lost will be difficult <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> replace <strong>on</strong> any short timescale. Icannot stress enough that effective relief assistance depends <strong>on</strong> such underlying skills in order <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>be both timely and sustained.Mr. President,The joint assessment is <strong>on</strong>ly a snapshot and in no way provides a comprehensive pictureof <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> overall <strong>humanitarian</strong> situati<strong>on</strong> in Darfur. Only four sec<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs were assessed, and many areaswere not visited in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> time available, notably key rural and c<strong>on</strong>tested areas. It does not cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>vital issue of protecti<strong>on</strong> of civilians. The assessment also made several assumpti<strong>on</strong>s that areprobably <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>o optimistic, including that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re would be no new needs, that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>flict wouldsubside, and that regular and reliable access <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> populati<strong>on</strong> would be possible. As you know,c<strong>on</strong>flict c<strong>on</strong>tinues in Darfur, with 65,000 people newly displaced so far this year. Bureaucratic2
CHECKED AGAINST DELIVERYproblems and threats <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> safety of <strong>humanitarian</strong> workers persist. And access for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>government or organizati<strong>on</strong>s seen as close <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> some camps is problematic.In any event, not least after <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> initial brutal treatment of experienced and dedicated staff,we urgently need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> re-establish an atmosphere of trust and mutual c<strong>on</strong>fidence with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>government. This includes <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> need for a legal and technical framework for <strong>humanitarian</strong> workin <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> country that is c<strong>on</strong>sistently applied. The United Nati<strong>on</strong>s has c<strong>on</strong>sistently stressed thatexisting legal and administrative frameworks, such as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Joint Communiqué <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> facilitati<strong>on</strong> of<strong>humanitarian</strong> assistance, provide <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> means <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> discuss issues of mutual c<strong>on</strong>cern. Theseframeworks were simply pushed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e side when <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ok its decisi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>removal of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> NGOs. We need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> repair and streng<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n this broken architecture, and rebuildc<strong>on</strong>fidence that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government will actively support <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> internati<strong>on</strong>al aid effort.As part of this, technical agreements between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government and NGOs, which allowfor work and travel permits, should be signed as so<strong>on</strong> as possible. As of <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>day, <strong>on</strong>ly 7% havebeen approved. Assets seized by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government should be returned for <strong>humanitarian</strong> use, aswas agreed this week in Khar<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>um. A Ministry of Labor decree dated 19 March, whichdemanded that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 16 NGOs pay an additi<strong>on</strong>al six m<strong>on</strong>ths severance pay in additi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> normallabor law requirements for, I quote, "<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir violati<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> laws and regulati<strong>on</strong>s governing <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><strong>humanitarian</strong> works in Sudan," is particularly troubling. It is also important that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> remaining36 expatriate staff from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 13 internati<strong>on</strong>al NGOs are allowed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> travel when <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<str<strong>on</strong>g>Security</str<strong>on</strong>g> remains ano<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r fundamental c<strong>on</strong>cern. Attacks, particularly vehicle hijackingsand compound invasi<strong>on</strong>s, which in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> past seemed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> have been about property, in recent m<strong>on</strong>thshave grown increasingly sinister in nature, highlighted by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> kidnapping of five MSF-Belgiumstaff two weeks ago. Attacks <strong>on</strong> UNAMID have also increased, including <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> killing of <strong>on</strong>epeacekeeper and injury of three o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> past two weeks. C<strong>on</strong>tinued negative mediamessages about foreign NGOs and NGO staff create an envir<strong>on</strong>ment in which this trend mightworsen. I urge <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> take active steps, including via <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Arabic press, <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> increasesecurity for all.Mr. President,I have dwelt <strong>on</strong> Darfur because this is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> area of most immediate c<strong>on</strong>cern, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> subjec<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>f <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> joint assessment. But <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are important areas bey<strong>on</strong>d Darfur seriously affected by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>Government of Sudan’s decisi<strong>on</strong>, including <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Provisi<strong>on</strong>al Areas and eastern Sudan. There <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>oNGOs play a critical role in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> provisi<strong>on</strong> of life-saving <strong>humanitarian</strong>, recovery, and developmentassistance, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>reby c<strong>on</strong>tributing <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> much needed stability in areas fraught with distrust anduncertainty for so many years.The risks of negative c<strong>on</strong>sequences of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government’s decisi<strong>on</strong> also extend bey<strong>on</strong>dSudan in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sub-regi<strong>on</strong>. In Eastern Chad, for example, over 50 <strong>humanitarian</strong> aid organizati<strong>on</strong>sc<strong>on</strong>tinue <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> alleviate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> suffering of 250,000 Sudanese refugees and 180,000 IDPs. Newpopulati<strong>on</strong> movements across <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> border from Sudan could exacerbate an already very difficult<strong>humanitarian</strong> situati<strong>on</strong>.Mr. President,3
CHECKED AGAINST DELIVERYAgreement <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> joint assessment is a small but welcome step forward. We have with<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government a shared commitment <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> try <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> plug <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> most immediate gaps. We have a sharedanalysis, based <strong>on</strong> technical data, that we face a major challenge in replacing <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> capacity whichhas been removed, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>reby preventing fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r unnecessary loss of life. The best wayforward, in our view, remains <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> allow <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> NGOs c<strong>on</strong>cerned <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> resume <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir activities.Meanwhile where do we go from here? To summarise, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> following steps seem <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> meindispensable.First, we must c<strong>on</strong>tinue <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> work <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ge<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> identify, prioritize and fill <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mostimmediately life threatening gaps.Sec<strong>on</strong>d, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government should genuinely facilitate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> work of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> remaining agenciesand NGOs, in particular by signing Technical Agreements. As I suggested, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> negative mediacampaign must be s<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>pped, and overall security for all improved.Third, if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> expulsi<strong>on</strong> decisi<strong>on</strong> cannot be quickly reversed, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government shouldfacilitate an orderly departure and transiti<strong>on</strong> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organizati<strong>on</strong> and staff affected, and properuse of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir assets, and cooperate with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> appeals process.Fourth, we and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> agree rapidly <strong>on</strong> how <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> guarantee a genuinelysupportive and c<strong>on</strong>sistent working envir<strong>on</strong>ment for <strong>humanitarian</strong> relief in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future.Fifth, against that background, and if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> expulsi<strong>on</strong> decisi<strong>on</strong> cannot be quickly reversed,we can begin <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> identify where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> replacement capacity can come from for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>ger term,including <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> desirability of progressive and agreed building of nati<strong>on</strong>al capacity.Sixth, we will need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> rework <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> financing needs for <strong>humanitarian</strong> assistance in Darfurand elsewhere <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> reflect <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extra costs of filling <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> gaps, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> fund new ac<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs <strong>on</strong> a sustainablebasis. We will look <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> wider d<strong>on</strong>or community for help with this if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s aresatisfac<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry, but also <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government.Seventh, we need a systematic process of assessment and m<strong>on</strong>i<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ring <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> ensure that lifethreateningdevelopments are identified and dealt with.Mr. President,The <strong>humanitarian</strong> imperative poses a dilemma for us here. Whatever our sense of outrageat <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government’s decisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> remove, in such a fashi<strong>on</strong>, organizati<strong>on</strong>s whose reputati<strong>on</strong> andexpertise have been built over years of dedicated service in <strong>humanitarian</strong> crises around <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> world,we must do all we can <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> prevent extra suffering for those in need as a result of this decisi<strong>on</strong>. Wewill do our best <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> work with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> bring this about in ways c<strong>on</strong>sistent with<strong>humanitarian</strong> principles, and with our resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> safety, and ability <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> work effectively,of <strong>humanitarian</strong> staff. I urge <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government of Sudan <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> think again about its decisi<strong>on</strong>, not leastbearing in mind its obligati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> well-being and protecti<strong>on</strong> of its own citizens, andmeanwhile <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> work with us in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same spirit. I hope <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Council</str<strong>on</strong>g> and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> internati<strong>on</strong>alcommunity more widely will also c<strong>on</strong>tinue <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> offer <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir support.4