LOC13:32
10:32 GMT
NEW YORK, Jan 25 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait affirmed its support for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) efforts to reactivate the conflict resolution agreement in Southern Sudan.
Kuwait is looking forward to the second round of high level talks expected to be held next month discussing the conflict in Sudan, said Kuwait Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi said in a speech delivered before the Security Council.
Ambassador Al-Otaibi said that the conflict resolution agreement reached last December aimed at building a broad reconciliation between the people of southern Sudan and reaching a political settlement that will build a safe and stable future for all.
Al-Otaibi recalled in this regard the presidential statement of the Security Council issued on December 14, which urged parties involved to in southern Sudan to agree on mechanisms and to monitor violations.
"We express our support for the work of the Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism and the Transitional Security Arrangements (STSAM) and their efforts to verify violations", he noted.
Al-Otaibi pointed out that the disastrous humanitarian situation in Southern Sudan is worsening day by day. About 60 percent or more of the 7 million people in Southern Sudan need help, where about 1.1 million child are in bad need of nutrition.
He said,"obstructing the arrival of humanitarian aid is unacceptable, and we welcome the presidential statement which ensures the arrival of humanitarian aid to the needy people with no obstacles".
He noted that efforts done by peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Regional Protection Forces (RPF), and of other humanitarian workers deserves the full support and appreciation of the Security Council and the international community.
The ambassador called on all parties to facilitate their work, remove all obstacles before them, and abide Security Council resolutions and statements in this regard.
He also called on Sudanese Government to fulfill its commitment of implementing resolution 2304 on the deployment of the regional protection force with no further delay.
Al-Otaibi praised the hard work of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to finalize the Mission's strategic review in southern Sudan, looking forward to the Council's discussions on them until the renewal of the Mission's mandate.
He expressed Kuwait's aspiration to continue supporting the development of southern Sudan and supporting its people through constructive bilateral cooperation in a peaceful environment. (end)
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