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STATEMENT : PLENARY MEETING OF THE 79TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AGENDA ITEM 63: USE OF THE VETO
STATEMENT BY
MS. SITI FARSHA MURNI IZAMI
PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AT THE PLENARY MEETING OF THE 79TH SESSION OF THE
UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AGENDA ITEM 63: USE OF THE VETO
26 NOVEMBER 2024, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Mr. President,
Thank you for convening today’s plenary meeting following the casting of the veto by a permanent member of the Security Council during its meeting on 18 November 2024 under the agenda item “Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan”.
Mr. President,
- Malaysia regrets that the Security Council was unable to adopt a draft resolution on the protection of civilians in Sudan. The draft resolution would have demanded that all attacks against civilians be halted, and would have called on the parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and engage, in good faith, in dialogue to agree on steps to de-escalate the conflict, with the aim of urgently achieving a national ceasefire.
- The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is one of the most severe and underreported tragedies of our time. For 18 months, the Sudanese people have endured immense suffering, with no signs of respite. As reported by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to the Security Council on 12 November 2024, civilians continue to flee for their lives both within Sudan and across its borders. More than 11 million people have been displaced since April 2023, with nearly three (3) million of whom seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. The situation has been described as the largest displacement crisis in the world.
- Additionally, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), in its most recent analysis in June this year, determined that over half of the Sudanese population, or 25.6 million people, were facing acute hunger in Sudan, 755,000 of whom facing the very highest levels of food insecurity and famine conditions, also known as IPC Phase 5. Malnutrition is also worsening, threatening the lives of thousands of children.
Mr. President,
- The humanitarian crisis in Sudan demands the attention of the global community. Malaysia underscores the need for improvements in humanitarian access, to ensure that aid reaches civilians in need. It is imperative that parties to the conflict ensure the safe, rapid and unhindered access of both relief supplies and humanitarian personnel. We call for respect for international law, particularly international humanitarian law and international human rights law, to ensure that civilians are protected. We call on the parties to the conflict to reach agreement on humanitarian pauses to facilitate the provision of assistance into, and the voluntary movement of civilians out of, areas of active hostilities. Malaysia also calls on the parties to cease hostilities and engage in dialogue to de-escalate the conflict, and agree on a ceasefire, for the sake of the Sudanese people.
Mr. President,
- Malaysia reiterates its position that the veto and its undemocratic nature runs against the very principles that the United Nations was built upon. It has no place in a modern and democratic multilateral architecture. Malaysia maintains its position that the exercise of the veto by permanent members of the Security Council should be regulated to deter it from being used unjustifiably or abused. Its application must be prohibited in situations involving mass atrocity crimes, such as genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. We are also of the view that to be effective and more accountable, the veto should be exercised by at least two of the five permanent members, and supported by three non-permanent members of the Council. This decision must then be supported by the General Assembly with a simple majority vote. However, we maintain that ultimately, the veto needs to be abolished altogether. Malaysia will continue to work constructively with other Member States through the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Security Council reform, towards improving the United Nations to make it more efficient, open, transparent, and inclusive.
I thank you.