Sudan mediators demand pause in fighting to ease aid crisis
A group of nations mediating Sudan’s civil war have urged a pause in fighting to ease “severe malnutrition and famine”, according to The National on August 2oth.
The United States, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland have jointly warned that the Sudanese people’s needs are reaching “critical levels”. They made seven demands to be immediately implemented by the warring parties – the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces – in order to ease the humanitarian catastrophe.
Civil war between the military and the RSF erupted in April 2023 after a power struggle turned violent.
The demands include keeping key transport routes open for aid convoys, with combatants urged to “lift all bureaucratic impediments” to the delivery of life sustaining resources.
The warring parties were also urged to “ensure safe passage for civilians to access assistance” and guarantee that aid workers would not be targeted under any circumstances.
On August 19th, The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs described Sudan as one of the deadliest conflicts for aid workers anywhere in the world. Since fighting began, “more than 120 humanitarian personnel have been killed — nearly all of them Sudanese.”
Combatants were also encouraged to “allow and facilitate a sustained UN humanitarian presence”, particularly in the regions of Darfur and Kordofan, which have recently experienced a significant escalation in violence – often towards civilians.
According to the International Rescue Committee on July 24th, 30.4 million people in Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance – the largest crisis since records began. Doctors Without Borders revealed that Sudan is also facing a severe cholera outbreak. Within a year, 2,470 people have been killed by the disease, out of 99,700 suspected cases.
The group of nations issuing the demands stated that they were “appalled by the continuous deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan”, according to The Arab Weekly plus agencies on August 21st.
The National, International Rescue Committee, Maghrebi.org, The Arab Weekly plus agencies
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