The United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, has issued a call for a ceasefire in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, labeling it as one of the most severe humanitarian crises of recent times. He delivered the statement on a recent Sunday.
The conflict, which ignited in April 2023 between the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), has persisted for the past six months. Griffiths reports that the turmoil has resulted in over 9,000 deaths, displaced approximately 5.6 million people from their homes, and left 25 million in need of aid. Sudan is grappling with an outbreak of cholera, with more than 1,000 cases reported in Gedaref, Khartoum, and Kordofan.
The international community’s attention towards the Sudanese conflict has heightened over the past few months. The United Nations has recently initiated a fact-finding mission to investigate potential violations of human rights and international law.
Griffith’s call to action includes a plea for further aid: “This cannot go on. It is time for parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. It is time for them to honor the commitments they made in Jeddah to protect civilians and allow humanitarian aid. It is time for them to recommit to dialogue at the highest levels to end this conflict, once and for all. It is also time for donors to step up their support. The international community cannot desert the people of Sudan.”
Furthermore, he urged the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF to uphold an agreement they made in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to protect civilians during the conflict. While international aid efforts can’t significantly quell the conflict, Griffith is optimistic that the United Nations, with the assistance of the international community, can mitigate the devastating impact the conflict has on Sudan’s civilian population.