Following the United Nations Security Council's designation of two Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders on November 8, the Treasury Department is today sanctioning Abdel Rahman Joma'a Barakallah (Barakallah), the RSF West Darfur Commander.
The UN has designated both Barakallah and Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed (Hamid) for their roles in leading the RSF as it carried out ethnic cleansing and committed human rights violations. Barakallah is also subject to U.S. visa restrictions for his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely the kidnapping and killing of the lawful governor of West Darfur, Khamis Abbakar. The Treasury Department has already designated Hamid in May 2024. The United States welcomes the UN Security Council's action on November 8, which demonstrates its readiness to hold to account those responsible for abuses against civilians in Darfur.
Today's action is part of the United States' persistent effort to support the Sudanese people and use the tools at our disposal to impose costs on those committing atrocities and perpetuating the conflict.
The Department of the Treasury actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order 14098, "Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons Destabilizing Sudan and Undermining the Goal of a Democratic Transition," as amended. For more information on today's action, see Treasury's press release.
Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Meeting on Sudan and South Sudan
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield U.S. Representative to the United NationsNew York, New YorkNovember 12, 2024
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President, and I thank the UK for convening this important meeting. I also wish to thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Director Rajasingham for your briefings.
Ms. Ahmadi, thank you. Thank you for your sobering briefing, but most importantly, thank you for the work you do to support the people of Sudan every single day. I look forward to hearing from the Representative of Sudan.
Colleagues, the United States is deeply concerned about violent, lethal attacks on civilians by the RSF and the SAF.
In Darfur, and more recently in al-Gezira, reports indicate an alarming rise in widespread, targeted, ethnically motivated killings and mass atrocities by the RSF.
In the Khartoum area in particular, SAF aerial bombings on markets and public places, launched without any clear military objective, have killed large numbers of civilians.
We know the gravity of the situation in Sudan. The indiscriminate death, by starvation and disease and shelling, and sheer scale of trauma that will haunt the Sudanese people forever.
And so, we are long past the time for bold, decisive, and immediate action by the international community.
The United States has four primary calls to action.
First, is the responsibility of all parties to this conflict to facilitate the flow of aid across all cross-border and cross-line routes, without exception.
We commend the Sudanese authorities for opening the Adre border crossing in mid August. This single route allowed aid organizations to bring enough food, health, and nutrition supplies to serve more than 1.9 million people.
Now, Sudanese authorities must keep Adre border crossing open indefinitely. Millions of lives depend on it.
We also commend the Sudanese authorities for approving the humanitarian air operation in South Kordofan.
This was a good first step. Now authorities must streamline the flight approval process, and ensure aid organizations can use the flights to move staff and supplies quickly and safely to areas of need.
What's more, all parties must help humanitarian agencies scale up operations, so that they can efficiently and effectively deliver aid to all corners of Sudan.
That includes expediting and streamlining bureaucratic processes to ensure that aid organizations can staff up, and humanitarian personnel and goods can move swiftly – for instance, by allowing a notification-only process for humanitarian movements.
In addition, the RSF must lift any bureaucratic requirements for aid organizations moving throughout the Darfur area.
Finally, all parties must avoid any actions that impede humanitarian operations. On that note, we are profoundly concerned that authorities in Port Sudan have continued to impede and obstruct the humanitarian response.
This cannot, and must not, be tolerated by this body or the broader international community.
Our second call to action is implementing an end to the hostilities. There is, quite simply, no military solution to this crisis. None.
All countries should cease providing military support to the belligerents. And every one of us must continue to press the parties to return to the negotiating table with the aim of ending this conflict.
On that note, and third, we strongly support the establishment of a compliance, monitoring, and verification mechanism following a broader cessation of hostilities agreement.
Such a mechanism could ensure that international humanitarian law obligations and Jeddah commitments are respected and implemented on the ground.
And so, this Council, and the international community writ large, should empower African partners to lead on the establishment of such a mechanism, including by supporting scenario planning on design and deployment.
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Fourth, and in keeping with the clear aspirations of the Sudanese people, the international community must actively support a transition to inclusive and democratic civilian governance.
That includes rallying behind the AU High-Level Panel-facilitated civilian political dialogue to accelerate a transition to inclusive civilian rule. The United States intends to support this process, and we encourage others to do the same.
It also includes seeking accountability for atrocities and other abuses committed over the past year and a half, including through the 1591 Darfur Arms Embargo and sanctions like those implemented by this Council last week. The Council's recent sanctions designations of two RSF leaders – Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla and Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed – sends a strong message to the parties.
Colleagues, the people of Sudan have endured hell. They deserve safety, dignity, and justice. They deserve to live.
We as the Security Council need to continue to pressure the belligerents to end the violence now; to ensure life-saving aid reaches those in need; and to put Sudan on the path to democracy and security.
Thank you, Mr. President.
