THE GENERAL SECRETARY
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REMARKS DURING THE MEETING WITH THE PRESS ON SUDAN
New York, April 15, 2024
In the last 48 hours, much of the world has focused on the crisis that has arisen in the Middle East.
As troubling as these developments are, other dramatic life-or-death emergencies have been overshadowed.
The world is forgetting the Sudanese people.
Today marks a heartbreaking milestone: one year since fighting began between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
This is more than a conflict between two warring parties.
It is a war waged against the Sudanese people.
It is a war against the thousands of civilians killed and the tens of thousands maimed for life.
It is a war against the 18 million people facing acute hunger and communities now facing the terrifying threat of famine in the coming months.
It is a war against the villages, homes, hospitals, schools and vital systems that have been reduced to rubble in the hotspots of the conflict.
It is a war on human rights and international humanitarian law.
Indiscriminate attacks that kill, injure and terrorize civilians could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Aid convoys were targeted. Humanitarian staff and warehouses were attacked.
Women and girls are subject to rampant sexual violence.
Meanwhile, the impact of the conflict is spilling over borders.
Over 8 million people have fled their homes in search of safety – 1.8 million to neighboring countries.
A year later, around 25 million people – half of Sudan’s population – are in need of vital assistance.
The latest news on the escalation of hostilities in El Fasher – the capital of North Darfur – is a new cause for serious alarm.
Over the weekend, militias affiliated with the RSF attacked and burned villages west of the city, causing further displacement and fears of a takeover of El Fasher’s only water source.
Fighting continued today on the outskirts of El Fasher.
The counterattacks resulted in further deaths and injuries.
Let me be clear: any attack on El Fasher would be devastating for civilians and could lead to intercommunal conflict throughout Darfur.
Furthermore, it would jeopardize aid operations in an area already on the brink of famine, since El Fasher has always been a critical UN humanitarian hub.
All parties must facilitate the safe, rapid and unhindered passage of humanitarian personnel and supplies through all available routes to El Fasher.
This includes timely approval of convoys and avoiding any measures that may delay or otherwise impede humanitarian movements.
We must do everything possible to ensure maximum humanitarian assistance in Darfur and elsewhere.
Today, the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its neighbors was hosted by the governments of France, Germany and the European Union.
The Sudanese people desperately need the support and generosity of the global community to help them overcome this nightmare.
The humanitarian response plan for Sudan, worth $2.7 billion, was only 6% funded before the conference.
And the Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan, worth $1.4 billion, was only 7 percent funded.
At the same time, as reflected in the commitments made in Jeddah, all parties must ensure full humanitarian access – across borders and battle lines – so that vital aid can reach where it is needed most.
They must heed the UN Security Council’s call to ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and to protect civilians.
But the Sudanese people need more than humanitarian support. They need to stop the bloodshed.
He needs peace.
The only way out of this horror is a political solution.
At this critical moment, in addition to global aid support, we need a concerted global push for a ceasefire in Sudan followed by a global peace process.
My personal envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, is working tirelessly to increase mediation efforts.
This includes meetings with leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces, as well as leaders from the Horn of Africa and the Gulf Region.
Additionally, efforts are planned with the African Union, IGAD, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States and key member states.
Coordination of international efforts will be essential to amplify joint action.
This push for peace also means continuing our work on Sudan’s democratic transition, supporting and empowering civilians, including women’s rights groups, youth and others.
This must be an inclusive process that reflects all voices.
Sudan’s future requires the contribution, participation and vision of all Sudanese.
I will not stop calling on all parties to silence the guns and fulfill the aspirations of the Sudanese people for a peaceful and secure future.
Thank you.
Tags: Meeting press Secretary General
