Nubian Center Commends the Renewal of the Sudan Fact-Finding Mission Mandate and Considers the Trial of “Kushayb” a Preliminary Step Toward Comprehensive Justice in Sudan
“The Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy affirms that the renewal of the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission represents a triumph for the voices of victims and the unyielding call of humanity, sending a message to the world that justice will prevail despite all challenges .. The trial of Ali Kushayb is only the beginning of a long journey to hold all perpetrators accountable, establish peace, and restore human dignity in Sudan, where there is no place for impunity or silence in the face of grave human rights violations.”
7 October 2025, Port Sudan – Nairobi – Juba – Kampala – Geneva
The Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy welcomes the adoption by the United Nations Human Rights Council of Resolution A/HRC/60/L.18, renewing the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, a step that reaffirms the international community’s commitment to supporting the path to justice and protecting the human dignity of the Sudanese people.
The Center considers this historic vote-marked by broad support and a significant decline in opposing votes (with 19 votes in favor in 2023, 23 in 2024, and rising this year, 2025, to 24 votes supporting and endorsing the resolution, while opposing votes decreased from 16 in 2023 to 12 in 2024, and 11 in 2025, opposition based on principle rather than the facts, evidence, or atrocities documented by the independent international mission, reports of the appointed expert, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, specialized experts, and civil society organizations)-to reflect a renewed international resolve to stand with the victims of serious human rights violations in Sudan. Despite the financial challenges faced by the UN system, the resolution was adopted with a budget of USD 5,966,300, covering the operations of the international mission and the independent expert, demonstrating that justice should not be held hostage to money or political calculations.
The resolution reflects a steadfast international will to support the Sudanese people. It disregarded attempts by some states to invoke the financial crisis to undermine the mission, and rejected calls to legitimize authorities emerging from the coup on 25 October 2021, referring to them simply as the “Sudanese authorities.” The Center views this stance as a principled affirmation of respect for the suspended constitutional legitimacy and a confirmation of the African Union’s decision to suspend Sudan’s membership, reflecting a global commitment against tolerance of human rights violations and unconstitutional changes of power.
The supporting states emphasized the importance of full cooperation with the Fact-Finding Mission, the independent expert, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and relevant African and national mechanisms, within an integrated approach aimed at achieving justice, accountability, and preventing impunity. They also called for alignment with the Quartet Mechanism’s plan to end the war and establish peace, and for the referral of all perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The supporting states further stressed the priority of unconditional and sustained humanitarian assistance, the protection of civilians, and an end to the systematic destruction of education, health, worship, and livelihoods infrastructure. They warned external parties against supporting war actors and called for an immediate halt to arms flows into Sudan.
The states requested that the Mission provide an oral report during the 62nd session, an interactive report in the 63rd session, a comprehensive briefing to the UN General Assembly in its 81st session in 2026, and conduct field visits inside and outside Sudan, particularly to refugee camps in neighboring countries, to hear directly from victims and witnesses, affirming the mission’s continuity as long as the war persists.
Draft Resolution
The Nubian Center notes that the Mission continues to receive reports and testimonies from victims, witnesses, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders via submissions-ffmsudan@un.org, and technical difficulties can be addressed through ffmsudan@un.org. The Center reiterates its commitment to supporting the mission’s work and facilitating victims’ and witnesses’ access, reinforcing efforts to achieve justice and accountability, combat impunity, advance criminal and transitional justice, reconciliation, redress, and the rights of the affected, while emphasizing the importance of establishing local truth and reconciliation committees to restore social trust and sustainable peace.
The Center calls for the creation of a comprehensive national registry documenting all past, present, and future violations, to ensure fair and transparent reparations, preserve evidence, and protect witnesses. It also demands the confiscation and restitution of looted assets to their legitimate owners. In this context, the Center urges the international and regional community, along with Sudanese civil society organizations, to coordinate efforts to establish this vital human rights registry, as a mechanism to safeguard memory and rights amid the collapse of the national justice system and its institutional and technical limitations.
The current Human Rights Council session also featured side events addressing digital transformation in justice and rights fields, the role of youth, women’s empowerment, combating hate speech, strengthening professionalism and integrity in civil society organizations, and ensuring a safe and independent space for their work.
Ali Kushayb’s trial
In conclusion, the Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy commends the trial of Ali Kushayb before the International Criminal Court, emphasizing that Kushayb is only a small part of a broader system of perpetrators, and that justice will only be complete when all offenders are held accountable before international justice, foremost among them Omar al-Bashir, Ahmed Haroun, Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, and all individuals against whom arrest warrants have been issued by the ICC, in addition to new perpetrators involved in ongoing ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy
7 October 2025
