UN relief chief urges safe humanitarian access in Sudan
A Sudanese family take shelter at a refugee entry point close to the Chadian border with Sudan (WFP)
July 19, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Parties involved in the conflict in Sudan must guarantee safe humanitarian access as misery deepens for civilians, Martin Griffiths, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator said in a statement.
He warned that Sudan, one of the world’s most difficult places for humanitarian operations, will be worse off as the conflict enters its fourth month, despite concerted efforts by local organizations and international aid groups.
Griffiths said suffering of people in Sudan will end only when the fighting ends.
“The parties involved in the conflict must adhere to the Declaration of Commitments they signed in Jeddah, which seeks to safeguard civilians and uphold international humanitarian law,” he stressed.
According to the UN official, the conflict has displaced more than 3 million people in Sudan, half of them children, both inside and outside the country. Furthermore, 13.6 million children remaining in Sudan urgently need humanitarian assistance.
He said the recent discovery of a mass grave near El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, as the “latest evidence pointing to the resurgence of ethnic killings in the region.”
“This should be a stark reminder of the historical atrocities witnessed during the Darfur conflict,” he emphasised.
The conflict between Sudan’s army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 15 has killed over 3,000 civilians and displaced 3 million, according to the UN.
Up to 25 million people in Sudan need humanitarian aid and protection, the UN say.
(ST)