New York, 1 May 2023 (TDI): The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has dispatched the Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General of Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, to Sudan as the humanitarian situation in the country deteriorates.
According to the Spokesperson for Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan is unprecedented in scale and speed and the UN is concerned about the long-term and immediate repercussions of the crisis on the Sudanese people.
Martin Griffiths stated that the humanitarian situation in Sudan is reaching a breaking point.
The UN has urged the Rapid Support forces and the Sudanese armed forces to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, allow safe passage to fleeing civilians, and respect humanitarian workers.
The UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan has urged General Mohammad Hamdan Daglo, chief of Rapid Support Forces and General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the chief of Sudanese Armed Forces to agree on a 72-hour ceasefire.
The Mission called on the warring sides to start peace talks after the ceasefire took place.
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Goods that are essential for survival are becoming scarce in the urban areas, especially Khartoum. People are finding it very difficult to access food, water, fuel, and other critical commodities.
Access to urgent health care is severely constrained, increasing the risk of preventable deaths.
The vulnerable are left behind in the worst-hit parts of the country as the cost of transportation to get out from these areas has risen exponentially.
Thousands of Sudanese have fled Sudan to neighboring countries such as the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, and Ethiopia to seek safety.
Massive looting of the offices and warehouses of humanitarian organizations has badly affected a robust response to the crisis. UN is trying to reboot the relief effort by bringing in and distributing essential supplies.
