UN humanitarian chief visits Sudan refugee camps
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s Humanitarian Chief paid an official visit to Sudanese refugee camps in the Darfur region as part of a week-long UN Sudan mission, according to France 24 on 18th November.
Sudan has been in a state of humanitarian crisis, with over 30 million reported to be in need of aid. The humanitarian emergency stems from an ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), where the UAE-funded RSF has slowly gained control of the western region of Darfur.
In the midst of the conflict, there have been reports of atrocities committed by the RSF, such as drone strikes on civilians, raping innocent women, ethnic cleansing and massacring at least 460 patients in a hospital.
Fletcher reportedly visited refugee camps in Tawila and Korma in the state of North Darfur where he spoke with many survivors and aid workers who shared their horrific experiences. He found that nearly two-thirds of the country were in desperate need of aid, describing the conditions faced by civilians as “desperate”.
As reported in a UN News article, Fletcher urged for more UN workers to be on the ground in Sudan helping affected civilians. Furthermore, Fletcher also sought to establish a UN presence in the city of El-Fasher, which fell to the RSF last month.
The city has been a source of great concern, with several investigations mass killings being recorded across the city, according to BBC News on 14th November. “We’re not going to be instrumentalised,” Fletcher stated. “This is a potential crime scene, and we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right people going in and that the aid is genuinely neutral and impartial.”
Fletcher’s mission is part of a wider international focus on Sudan from international organizations such as the UN. As the conditions rapidly deteriorate across the country, and many more become displaced or killed, the role the UN plays in navigating the conflict and mitigating the suffering throughout Sudan is crucial.
France 24, Maghrebi.org, UN News, BBC News
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