New York: The political transition in Sudan that began four years ago continues to face obstacles on the ground, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj said.

Addressing a United Nations Security Council meeting on the UN's Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) on December 7, Kamboj said that the recent developments, including on the draft constitution are encouraging.

Kamboj said that India welcomes the signing of a political framework agreement in Sudan. She stressed that the efforts of the Sudanese authorities to create a conducive environment by annuling the nationwide emergency and releasing political detainees has helped in reducing tensions.

Kamboj emphasised that the Sudanese stakeholders need to consolidate the gains that they have made so far and move towards an inclusive political agreement. She said that India reiterates that Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned, inclusive and credible political dialogue remains important in finding a solution.

Highlighting India's ties with Sudan, Kamboj said that India has "longstanding friendly relations" with Sudan and its people. She stated that India has assisted Sudan through projects under concessional lines of credit, capacity building and humanitarian assistance.

In her speech, Kamboj underscored that the constructive support of the international community is critical for Sudan as they move towards a "stable, secure and prosperous future." She called on the trilateral mechanism to work closely with the stakeholders to facilitate the political agreement.

Furthermore, Ruchira Kamboj said that India takes note of the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA), including the transitional security arrangements in Darfur. She called the reduction in violence in the Darfur region an "encouraging sign."

"In the coming months, we hope efforts will be made to expedite the deployment of the Joint Security-Keeping Force. The intercommunal violence in West Kordofan and Blue Nile, due to complex factors, particularly over land disputes can only be tackled effectively by prioritizing reconciliation and addressing the political and security related issues."

Speaking on the economic situation in Sudan, Ruchira Kamboj said that the suspension of a significant portion of international donor assistance has affected the inflows of overseas development assistance. She called on the international community to increase their humanitarian appeals needs.