BY
H.E. AMARA S. M. SOWA
CHARGE D’AFFAIRES A.I.
AMBASSADOR & DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
Thank you, Madam President,
We thank the Coordinator of the E10 on the resolution on the situation in Gaza, Guyana, for their commendable and tireless efforts in facilitating the negotiations.
We thank all Council members for their engagement and flexibility in the negotiations.
Sierra Leone voted in favour of this E10 resolution on the situation in Gaza in order to have a ceasefire and more importantly to save lives.
We therefore deeply regret that the resolution was not adopted even though 14 members of the council, an overwhelming majority voted for its adoption.
Thirteen months into the conflict in the Gaza Strip, with over 43,500 deaths, hundreds of thousands injured and about 1.7 million internally displaced persons, with women, children and young people bearing the brunt of the conflict, it is long overdue for the security council, as guided by the Charter of the United Nations to take an appropriate step to end the carnage in the Gaza Strip.
While we recognize the tireless efforts displayed by this council in adopting four resolutions so far, namely 2712, 2720, 2728 and 2735; it is regrettable that the parties to the conflict have failed to fully comply with their respective provisions.
The adoption of resolution 2735 on 10th June 2024, had ushered in renewed optimism that, through diplomatic efforts, a deal could be agreed upon that will achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, ensure the release of hostages, guarantee the effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout the Gaza Strip, and establish the framework for the reconstruction of Gaza and the commence the process for the actualization of the two-State solution.
Unfortunately, this process has been slow without any tangible progress and every day that elapses, we witness more deaths and suffering. For this reason and the many horrific humanitarian and security reports and briefings on the situation in the Gaza Strip, Sierra Leone joined the E10 initiative to have a text that clearly demands for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
The text further called for compliance with obligations under international law; access by the civilian population in the Gaza Strip to basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable for their survival, while acknowledging UNRWA’s role in facilitating and distributing aids to civilians.
An adoption of this text could have compelled the parties to the conflict to fulfill their legal, political, moral and humanitarian obligations to the civilians in the Gaza Strip and the hostages held by Hamas since the 7th October 2023. It could have been the path to justice and an enforcement of accountability.
It would have allowed this Council the opportunity to affirm its role and unite in strength to save humanity from destruction.
Nevertheless, we will not despair and so Sierra Leone remains committed to supporting any credible and serious political and diplomatic efforts that will finally address this protracted conflict.
I thank you.
