Talks held as civil war enters third year in Sudan

Talks between twenty foreign ministers have been held in London to discuss the civil war in Sudan.

As The National reported on April 15th, the summit was held in the British capital to mark the second anniversary of the conflict.

The UK foreign minister, David Lammy, told ministers at the talks that “the brutal war in Sudan has devastated the lives of millions and yet much of the world continues to look away, we need to act now to stop the crisis from becoming an all-out catastrophe, ensuring aid gets to those who need it most.”

Britain has pledged to double its humanitarian aid to Sudan, with another £120 million being offered for food supplies.

The aid will help to feed 650,000 Sudanese citizens as it delivers cooking oils, salt, pulses and cereal.

Recent cuts to USAID by the Trump administration have forced around 80% of all emergency food kitchens to close.

The civil war has plunged Sudan into famine, with around 30 million people living on the brink of starvation.

As well as the 30 million people suffering under famine-like conditions, another 12 million people have been displaced from their homes with an estimated 150,000 civilians having been killed, although the actual figure is likely higher.

A former Sudanese cabinet minister warned that the continuing conflict risks causing a “de facto partition” in the country.

The United Nations has termed the conflict as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis”

Yousif also spoke of his hope that the meeting in London could result in a the formation of a high-level pressure group that could force a ceasefire and thus allow humanitarian aid to enter the country.

However, the Rapid Support Forces rebel group with whom the army has been embroiled in the conflict with, have recently warned that the war is not over and that despite losing key sites in the capital of Khartoum, they will return “stronger, more powerful and victorious.”

The National, Maghrebi