Statement by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador João Genésio de Almeida Filho, on the Reports of the Secretary-General on Sudan and South Sudan - March 6th, 2023

Thank you, Mister President.

Let me start by thanking Malta for its work as President of the Security Council during the month of February.

I congratulate Mozambique for assuming the Presidency of the Council for this month of March.

Mister President,

Brazil knows that we are in firm and good hands.

I thank Special Representative Haysom and Director Talahma for their informative briefings.

I welcome the Delegation of South Sudan to the current meeting.

Let me also express our appreciation for the work of all the military, police, and civilian personnel that are part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

I want to thank, in particular, the Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries.

Mister President,

Brazil is proud to be part of UNMISS. After all, this peacekeeping operation has made critical contributions to South Sudan for almost as long as the country has been independent.

We acknowledge the significant challenges that UNMISS and particularly South Sudan face. For instance, we have noted South Sudan's request to the United Nations for assistance to prepare and conduct the 2024 elections.

Taking into account the considerable experience of the personnel that serves the UN, we are confident that UNMISS will be able TO provide valuable skills and technical support that could facilitate the required logistics.

At the same time, we also acknowledge that the Transitional Government and all the major South Sudanese stakeholders are the ones who should take the most important steps to ensure a conducive environment for the electoral process.

Mister President,

We appreciate the growing involvement of South Sudan with the Peacebuilding Commission. We believe that a myriad of local South Sudanese projects, initiatives, and leaders will benefit from a deeper connection with the PBC. The Peacebuilding Fund already supports essential projects in the country.

Underlying the unique convening power that the PBC offers, it is critical that the Transitional Government and civil society representatives engage
with peacebuilding principles on a larger scale.

South Sudan can count on Brazil's support for its growing involvement with the Commission.

Mister President,

We cannot avoid underscoring the severe humanitarian crisis millions of South Sudanese are facing. We have listened today, once again, to those awful numbers.

We call on the international community to step up its efforts to assist the country. Food insecurity should not be a challenge anywhere for anyone, let alone for one of the world's youngest populations.

Mister President,

We regret South Sudan remains among the most dangerous places to be a humanitarian worker. We deplore the attacks that have killed humanitarian agents in the line of duty and express our condolences to their families and loved ones.

Creating conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance is one of the priorities of UNMISS's mandate.

We expect this pillar of UNMISS's mandate to be implemented in safer conditions, especially if local authorities bring the perpetrators of these vicious
attacks against humanitarian agents to justice.

We also hope humanitarian agencies and workers can soon enjoy unhindered access alongside the Nile corridor to provide goods and services to the most vulnerable people in South Sudan.

Thank you.