Sudanese leader voices concerns to Red Cross about its work in country

November 6, 2024(PORT SUDAN) — Sudan’s military leader, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, met on Wednesday with the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric, and expressed reservations about some of the aid organization’s activities in the country.

Spoljaric’s visit to Port Sudan, Sudan’s temporary capital, came as the country grapples with a humanitarian crisis fueled by the conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group. Millions of people have been displaced, and thousands have been killed since fighting erupted in April 2023.

During the meeting, General al-Burhan, who heads Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council, raised concerns about certain aspects of the Red Cross’s work in Sudan, according to Hussein al-Amin, an undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry. He did not specify the nature of the concerns.

Al-Amin described the meeting as frank and said it involved a productive exchange of views. He expressed hope for greater cooperation between Sudan and the Red Cross, adding that General al-Burhan had emphasized Sudan’s willingness to work with the organization.

Spoljaric pledged to address the government’s concerns, and the two sides agreed to establish a mechanism for Sudan to communicate its observations, as well as for the Red Cross to clarify its needs, al-Amin said.

The Red Cross said that Spoljaric had underscored the need for all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law.

“The fighting has displaced more than 8 million people and lack basic services, while thousands have lost contact with their families,” the statement said. “Unless urgent action is taken, the consequences of the conflict could last for decades.”

Spoljaric stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of humanitarian workers and enabling access to vulnerable communities. She said the Red Cross was committed to expanding its operations to reach all those affected by the conflict.

“Impartial humanitarian work must be protected without exception to avoid further deterioration of the situation,” the statement said.

The statement said that the Red Cross and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society receive hundreds of inquiries each week from people searching for loved ones. The Red Cross has registered nearly 3,000 requests from people seeking family members since the conflict began.