In a significant development, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The council reached a resolution to this effect on Friday. The resolution urges all parties involved in the long-standing conflict in Sudan to lay down their arms immediately and negotiate for a lasting resolution to the crisis.
The internal armed conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, involves the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF). This conflict was triggered by disagreements over a political settlement aimed at transitioning the country from military rule to a civilian government.
The UN Refugee Agency reports that the challenging combination of severe climate change-related events and the escalating conflict has resulted in nearly half of Sudan’s population—around 25 million people—requiring humanitarian assistance. This crisis has led to nearly 8 million people becoming displaced, including 6 million internally displaced persons and over 1.5 million refugees. The primary destinations for these refugees have been Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic (CAR).
While covering this crisis, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights echoed the same concerns and reported widespread human rights abuses in Sudan, including severe food insecurity, military attacks, and sexual violence.
On a related note, the UNSC also took the decision to renew the mandate of the Sudan Sanctions Committee. This committee is made up of a panel of experts on Sudan and is tasked with monitoring the implementation of sanctions, such as an arms embargo and asset freeze. The committee is also responsible for assessing progress toward reducing violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses. However, Russia abstained from endorsing the renewal of the committee’s mandate and the resolution calling for the cessation of hostilities, and although China backed the call for peace, it refused to endorse the mandate renewal for the committee.
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