The United Nations (UN) is pressing the two generals that lead opposing, warring military factions in Sudan to publicly commit to “clear, definitive agreements that would allow for the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid in the country.
Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, who is in the region, is seeking to meet face-to-face with both General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan who leads the Sudanese Armed Forces and General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group (RSF).
The UN continues to warn of an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe with over 550 dead and almost 5 000 injured, while tens of thousands have already fled the country.
At least one-third of Sudan’s 46 million people are in need of humanitarian aid, amid a short supply of essential goods and services and widespread looting of humanitarian supplies in the country.
The UN now seeks to have its operational requirements met by both warring factions.
Martin Griffiths adds, “Number one, clear, definitive agreements, commitments in writing in public of the parties, to protect the movement of humanitarian supplies, humanitarian workers, to stop the looting that happens of humanitarian stocks so that aid agencies can do the job they only know best. And number two, the generosity of the international community of governments around the world to pay for the needs of the Sudanese people who have such suffering under such difficulties at this time.”
In Port #Sudan, I met the humanitarian community, including Sudanese NGOs, and civil society.
These are two things they all said to me are necessary and I’m convinced both are possible: pic.twitter.com/NYSZMg9VIw
— Martin Griffiths (@UNReliefChief) May 4, 2023
Humanitarian trucks looted
Griffiths says he hopes to meet both Generals al-Burhan and Dagalo face-to-face in the next days to press the humanitarian case even if proposed ceasefires are not observed.
“Humanitarians universally do this even when there is no formal national ceasefire. We will still require agreements and arrangements to allow for the movement of staff and supplies. We will need to have agreement at the highest level and very publicly and we will need to deliver those commitments into local arrangements that can be depended on. We need access. We need airlift; we need supplies that don’t get looted. The World Food Program today, James, informed me 6 trucks of theirs which were going to Darfur were looted en route despite insurance of safety and security. So, it’s a volatile environment, so we need those commitments that are one of my obligations, I think in this visit to Sudan and the region.”
Earlier, UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres called on the international community to pressure both leaders to stop fighting as the human rights impact of the conflict is now framed as equally catastrophic, with trust between the parties obliterated.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk says, “The human rights impact of the current fighting has been catastrophic. It is heartbreaking. On Monday an airstrike by the Sudanese military reportedly hit the vicinity of a hospital in the East Nile area of Khartoum. The RSF has taken over numerous residential buildings in Khartoum to use as operational bases, launching attacks from densely inhabited urban areas. Civilians continue to be placed at acute risk and are prevented from accessing critical supplies and assistance. In short, the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution have been trampled by both parties, which I strongly condemn.”
300 000 displaced
The UN says that of its pre-conflict 1.7-billion dollar humanitarian appeal for Sudan only $200 million has been funded.
Since the fighting began, over 300 000 Sudanese have been displaced internally while more than 100 000 have fled to neighbouring countries areas such as Chad, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia, equally fragile states where any spillover in fighting could be destabilising for the entire region.
Whether a 7-day ceasefire brokered by South Sudan and due to start Thursday, holds or not, the urgent need for assurance around humanitarian relief is now being framed as an entirely separate issue – whether the guns are silenced or not.
