In the midst of Sudan’s prolonged civil war, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, Ted Chaiban, has urged the international community to shift focus towards what he calls the “forgotten crisis” in the nation. In a recent statement along with UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Raouf Mazou, Chaiban highlighted the dire plight resulting from the ongoing conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
The conflict, raging since April 2023, stems from disputes over post-transition governance following the ousting of Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir. This power struggle has led to massive displacement, with over 11 million individuals displaced, and plunged 13 million people into high-risk food insecurity. The conflict is marked by widespread accusations of mass atrocities and human rights violations by both the RSF and SAF, as detailed by Human Rights Watch.
UNICEF reported that the collapse of essential infrastructure has resulted in famine-like conditions, exacerbating shortages in crucial services such as healthcare and sanitation. Investigations continue into potential war crimes, fueled by suspicions and calls for action, although these pleas often go unheeded. Mazou and Chaiban emphasized the immediate need for a strengthened international response to address the crisis’s overwhelming scale.
The United Nations is making attempts to contain the turmoil. Recently, the UN Security Council extended an arms embargo on Sudan, while the UN Human Rights Council has renewed the mandate of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission in Sudan, signaling continuing efforts to monitor and mitigate the escalating situation.
This article was first published by JURIST – News. For further details, visit the full text here.