New York meeting seeks unified approach to Sudan’s ongoing crisis

Amid the ongoing war in Sudan and the escalating hunger crisis, UN agencies and Member States meeting at the General Assembly in New York on Wednesday are gearing up to issue a renewed plea for swift action to ensure the safety of the country’s citizens.

Joyce Msuya, the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, called on Member States to exert all possible influence to end the crisis in Sudan.

“We urge Member States to use all their leverage to bring the horrific violations of international humanitarian law and the abuses of human rights law to an end.”

Msuya called on Member States to back initiatives aimed at increasing the volume of assistance through the crossing and to prolong this vital support beyond the initial three-month timeframe, without introducing new procedures that could hinder operations.

“we need a concerted diplomatic push for a step change in humanitarian access, for the safe, streamlined and swift delivery of aid through all possible routes, both cross border and cross line, and for the facilitation of the day-to-day life-saving work of humanitarian organizations on the ground,” she added.

On September 25, alongside the UN High-Level General Assembly Debate, a high-level Ministerial meeting took place, organized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations, to enhance humanitarian assistance in Sudan and the region.

The US Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, pointed out the urgent need for the warring sides to implement humanitarian pauses in El Fasher, Khartoum, and other vulnerable locations to permit the flow of aid and provide a safe exit for civilians.

“And let me be clear that the RSF must immediately halt its deadly assault on El Fasher. But both parties are responsible. Both parties must eliminate barriers to humanitarian access along all routes….” she said.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also revealed that the United States is providing an extra $424 million for the emergency humanitarian efforts in Sudan and its neighbouring countries.

This funding is included in the total of $2 billion that the US has donated since the conflict began.

Sudan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis nearly eighteen months after the conflict began.

Currently, half of the population requires humanitarian aid, and over 10 million individuals have been forced to flee their homes, either within Sudan or to neighbouring countries.

A significant hunger crisis is underway, with almost 26 million people experiencing acute food insecurity, and famine conditions have been confirmed in northern Darfur.

The conflict has inflicted significant suffering on civilians, raising alarms about the safety of women and girls, with numerous reports of sexual violence linked to the conflict, as well as widespread violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.

Essential services have been critically disrupted, impacting the livelihoods of millions.

The event is titled “The Cost of Inaction: Urgent and Collective Support to Scale Up the Humanitarian Response in Sudan and the Region.”

Speaking at the Ministerial side event in New York, African Union’s senior official Minata Samate Cessouma appealed to the parties in Sudan, stating, “there can be no winners in this war.”