Thank you, Mr President, and welcome to the Minister of Justice of Sudan
The UK continues to stand in solidarity with the Sudanese people and their demands for democracy, freedom and justice. We therefore welcome the signing of the political framework agreement in December by different Sudanese parties - an important step for Sudan's transition to civilian-led government.
Let me congratulate Mr Nouicer on his appointment as the High Commissioner's new Designated Expert, and thank him and the High Commissioner for their early visits to Sudan. We appreciate the continued cooperation of the Sudanese authorities with his mandate.
While these developments are encouraging, there is still much to be done in addressing the overall human rights situation. The death of a protestor from live ammunition on 28 February was unacceptable and deeply concerning. We continue to urge security and military forces to fulfil their obligation to protect civilians and respect their right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression, without fear of violence or arbitrary detention. And to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are held to account.
High Commissioner,
What opportunities do you and Mr Nouicer see for encouraging constructive participation in the dialogues launched to address issues central to the framework agreement?
Thank you.
