Please find below the UK US joint statement on the situation in
Sudan, as delivered by the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
and UK Foreign Secretary .
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
said:
“Good afternoon everyone. It's very good to be with my friend and
colleague, Foreign Secretary Cleverly. We have been consulting
very closely on the situation in Sudan. We've also been in
close touch with partners in the Arab world, in Africa, in
international organizations. There is a shared deep concern about
the fighting, the violence, that's going on in Sudan, the threat
that that poses to civilians, that it poses to the Sudanese
nation and potentially poses even to the region.
There's also a very strongly shared view about the need for
General's Burhan and Hemeti to ensure the protection of civilians
and non-combatants, as well as people from third countries,
including our personnel who are located in Sudan. And also a
strongly held view, again, across all of our partners on the need
for an immediate ceasefire and a return to talks. Talks that were
very promising in putting Sudan on the path to a full transition
to civilian led government.
People in Sudan want the military back in the barracks. They want
democracy. They want a civilian led government. Sudan needs to
return to that path. For our part, we've also been closely in
touch, of course, with our own embassy, to make sure that our
personnel is safe and accounted for, which is the case. And we're
also closely in touch with any American citizens, in Sudan, to
make sure that those who are registered with the embassy and that
we're actually in, in contact with, get all the information they
can about how to remain safe and secure.”
UK Foreign Secretary
said:
“Secretary Blinken thank you. Obviously, earlier on today, we
have had discussions about the situation in Sudan. We have, the
UK has been in contact with our friends in the Arab region, and
will continue to do so. But I echo the points that have been made
already by Secretary Blinken that we call upon an immediate
cessation of violence, a return to the talks, talks which seem to
be heading in the direction of a civilian government.
And of course, that is the ultimate desired, outcome. And we will
continue working both with our close friends in the United States
of America and our friends, in Africa, and the wider Arab world
to bring about that move towards a peace and a civilian
democracy.
Obviously, from the UK's government point of view, our first
priority is the protection of British nationals. We had
previously changed travel advice and advised against travel to
Sudan. I ensured that the British officials at the embassy in
Khartoum are safe and accounted for, and we will continue to
provide what support we can to British nationals in Sudan.”
But ultimately, the immediate, future lies in the hands of the
generals who are engaged in this fight. And we call upon them to
put peace first, to bring an end to the fighting, to get back to
negotiations. That's what the people of Sudan want. That's what
the people of Sudan deserve, and we will continue to seek ways to
support that road back to peace.
