Sudan rejects U.N. fact-finding mission extension, citing bias

October 9, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan rejected on Wednesday the U.N. Human Rights Council’s decision to extend the mandate of a fact-finding mission investigating human rights abuses in the country, accusing it of bias against the army.

The resolution passed with a simple majority, with 23 countries voting in favour, 12 against and 12 abstaining. The United Arab Emirates voted against the extension despite strained relations with Sudan, in an apparent nod to the broader Arab position.

In a statement, Sudan’s foreign ministry said it “categorically rejects” the decision, which it said did not garner majority support. It criticized the mission for what it called “significant bias” against the Sudanese army and for failing to prioritize ending the conflict, stopping atrocities, and facilitating aid delivery.

The army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group signed the Jeddah Declaration in May, agreeing to protect civilians and refrain from attacking civilian targets. However, efforts to develop the declaration into a ceasefire have stalled.

The foreign ministry said the close vote highlighted divisions within the Human Rights Council and validated Sudan’s position. It stressed the government’s commitment to upholding human rights and insisted that the army and security forces adhere to international humanitarian and human rights law.

The Legal and Human Rights Committee of the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces, a civil society group, welcomed the extension. It called on both the army and the RSF to cooperate fully with the mission and allow it to carry out its work documenting abuses and pursuing accountability.

In a recent report, the fact-finding mission detailed widespread human rights violations committed by the army, the RSF, and their allies. It recommended deploying an international force to protect civilians, expanding the arms embargo in Darfur to include all of Sudan, and expanding the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court to cover the entire country.

A campaign supporting the extension of the mission’s mandate praised the decision as an important step towards accountability and ending impunity in Sudan.

The fact-finding mission was established in October 2023 to investigate human rights abuses committed in the ongoing conflict, including those against refugees. Its mandate includes collecting evidence, identifying perpetrators, and recommending accountability measures.