Aid Operations on Amid Dire Humanitarian Conditions in Sudan: UN

April 25, 2023 (NEW YORK) – Aid delivery to those desperately in need will continue amid the dire humanitarian conditions in Sudan, the United Nations said Tuesday.

Over 400 people have died and thousands displaced in 10 days of fierce fighting between rival military forces, the UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) disclosed.

The agency also said people are lacking food, water, medicine and fuel, power is limited, and the prices of essential items as well as transport have skyrocketed.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke expressed concerns that people are “deeply affected” by humanitarian needs.

He further emphasized that humanitarian operations were also impacted and that there were more reports of looting of humanitarian supplies and warehouses.

“We and our partners continue to deliver whenever and wherever feasible”, said Laerke.

Addressing the Security Council on Monday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the UN would stay and deliver, and stand by the Sudanese people, as they continue to strive towards civilian rule and a new, democratic future.

He described the ongoing violence and chaos in Sudan as “heartbreaking” amidst warnings that the fighting could spread to other countries in the region.

“Sudan borders seven countries, all of which have either been involved in conflict or seen serious civil unrest over the past decade,” stressed Guterres.

For his part, the UN envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes told the UN Security Council meeting that both sides in the conflict believe that they can secure a victory.

“There is yet no unequivocal sign that either is ready to seriously negotiate, suggesting that both think that securing a military victory over the other is possible,” he said.

Perthes denounced what he described as the “disregard for the laws and norms of war” among the combatants who have turned Khartoum into a war zone since battles broke out on April 15 that have now left hundreds dead, thousands wounded, and seen civilians infrastructure attacked, including hospitals.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said that the most significant cross-border movements in the region have been Sudanese fleeing to Chad and South Sudanese refugees returning to their own country. Others, it said, are starting to arrive in Egypt.

The agency further revealed that since the fighting started, “at least 20,000 refugees” have fled across the border to Chad and more are expected to arrive.

UNHCR said plans are underway to relocate the new arrivals to an existing refugee camp further from the border while a new location is being identified to host additional arrivals.

(ST)