As the UN Security Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday in New York to discuss the crisis in Sudan, António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, renewed his call for the immediate release of all those detained in the military coup.
Pro-democracy demonstrations in Khartoum, the country’s capital, continued one day after the army dissolved the transitional government and detained civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and his cabinet.
“I once again strongly condemn the forceful military takeover of power in Sudan,” Guterres said while responding to a journalist’s question at a press conference at the UN Headquarters.
“I urge, of course, all stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint, but the prime minister and other officials that were unlawfully detained must be released immediately.”
Sudan has been on the path to democracy since the April 2019 overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled for 30 years. Military and civilian leaders have been sharing power.
Sudan had reached “important milestones,” according to the UN Secretary-General, adding that “it is critical that all transitional arrangements and institutions as defined in the constitutional document be reinstated. It is critical to have a civilian-military partnership.” he added.
“The UN Mission in Sudan continues to encourage all parties to de-escalate tensions, maintain the constitutional partnership, and advance the political transition under the provisions of the Constitutional Document,” Mr. Dujarric said at a press conference in New York.
Meanwhile, the UN continues to work with partners to provide life-saving aid to nine million Sudanese people. Humanitarians have requested $1.9 billion for Sudan this year, but only 30% of their request has been funded. From January to June, aid organizations in the country provided protection and humanitarian assistance to 7.4 million people.
