WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Friday released the following statement on the need to expand the Darfur arms embargo during the United States’ presidency of the UN Security Council:
“As the United States assumes the Presidency of the UN Security Council this month, I strongly support Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s commitment to using our role to shine a spotlight on the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan. While our Mission works with partners to set the Council’s agenda for December, we must make it a priority to enforce the Darfur arms embargo and further expand it to cover the entirety of Sudan.
While I am grateful the Security Council recently unanimously decided to extend the embargo until September 2025, combatants on both sides of the conflict continue to receive a steady flow of weapons and ammunition from all corners of the country. In turn, both the RSF and SAF use these weapons to continue their brutal campaigns and terrorize innocent civilians. The foreign governments and businesses responsible for violating the embargo, including the United Arab Emirates and Russia, are directly responsible for perpetuating the horrific conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of civilians and become the most severe displacement crisis in the world. The Security Council must step up to expand the embargo and take the necessary steps to hold those responsible for violating it accountable. With December’s presidency, I hope the United States will use all leverage at our disposal to end the bloodshed and bring this devastating conflict to a close.”
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