The UN warns that conflict in Sudan has created a humanitarian crisis, with over 24 million facing hunger and significant displacement. Urgent action from the Security Council is required to protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and mobilize funding. Recent violence in regions like North Darfur and Khartoum highlights the escalating dangers for civilians and aid workers.
In a recent briefing to the UN Security Council, Edem Wosornu, a senior UN aid official from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), urged for enhanced protection of civilians and improved humanitarian access in Sudan as the conflict approaches its second year. She emphasized the urgent need for action, stating, “Now more than ever, two years on, the people of Sudan need your action.”
Wosornu highlighted the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has led to 24.6 million people facing acute hunger. The war has displaced over 12 million individuals, with 3.4 million fleeing to neighboring countries. Key services, particularly health care, have collapsed, leaving millions of children out of school and vulnerable to violence.
Recent developments in regions like North Darfur and Khartoum are particularly alarming. Despite the Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2739 (2024) to protect civilians, attacks persist. In North Darfur, civilians, including humanitarian workers, have faced significant danger due to heavy fighting, which has also escalated conditions in displacement camps like Zamzam where famine has been reported.
In Khartoum, reports of summary executions of civilians during intensifying clashes have raised serious concerns for civilians and humanitarian personnel alike. Wosornu pointed out the spreading violence into southern regions, including North and South Kordofan, further jeopardizing civilian safety and complicating aid delivery.
Wosornu announced the initiation of the 2025 humanitarian response plan for Sudan, which calls for $6 billion to assist nearly 25 million individuals within Sudan and approximately five million refugees in surrounding countries. She stressed the need for strong international support to address the crisis effectively.
Concluding her remarks, Wosornu outlined three critical demands for the Security Council: immediate action to uphold international humanitarian law and civilian safety, facilitation of unhindered humanitarian access, and mobilization of unprecedented funding to meet Sudan’s vast needs. ”The scale of Sudan’s needs is unprecedented and requires an equally unprecedented mobilization of international support,” she stated.
The conflict in Sudan continues to devastate civilian lives, with millions displaced and in dire need of assistance. The UN calls for immediate international action to protect humanitarian access and support recovery efforts, highlighting the unprecedented funding needs to tackle the crisis. Urgent measures are essential to alleviate suffering and stabilize the region.
Original Source: news.un.org
