A high-level meeting in New York to discuss the humanitarian situation in Sudan

20 September 2023(pen) The United Nations is holding a high-level meeting today with the governments of Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the European Union and the African Union. It will highlight operational challenges and lack of humanitarian access, propose solutions, and urge flexible and timely support to UN response plans in Sudan and the region.

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, said: "The crisis in Sudan is becoming more serious by the day, and needs are rising. Unremitting efforts are being made to get aid convoys across the border into Darfur and cross conflict lines within the country, but the process is tedious, bureaucratic and dangerous — far from the unfettered and safe access to people that we should have. "We are working hard to expand humanitarian access, but we need a political process to end the fighting and start building a new Sudan."

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said: "Millions of people have already been forced from their homes because of the war in Sudan, and every day more and more are forced to flee in search of safety. They need urgent assistance – humanitarian aid to keep them alive, but also emergency development interventions to create the conditions and opportunities to live in dignity where they are so they can return home. But above all, they need the guns to fall silent and for this senseless war to stop."

She Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwa Rashid Al Khater of Qatar expressed her concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan and called on the international community to redouble its efforts to provide vital assistance and support to the Sudanese people, called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and stressed the involvement of all political forces in dialogue and peaceful means to resolve the conflict, adding that the State of Qatar supports the ongoing regional and international efforts aimed at ending the conflict and achieving stability in Sudan.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said: "The Kingdom will continue to stand with the people of Sudan in the hardships they face. We hope that this meeting will succeed in generating the necessary support for our collective humanitarian response. We also stress the importance of adhering to the Jeddah Declaration, including protecting humanitarian workers, assets, supplies and other facilities, and ensuring the security of transport corridors and storage and distribution areas. We also look forward to the current conflict reaching a sustainable political solution that promises a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of Sudan; we remain committed to supporting this process."

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated: "Sudan's neighboring countries should not bear the brunt of the crisis alone. The burden of those countries and their capacity to provide public services leads to illegal migration. We need to uphold the principle of equitable burden sharing as the only solution to alleviate the humanitarian burden and respond to the displacement crisis in an effective and sustainable manner."

EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Linarcic, said: "The EU remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance and protection to those affected by the conflict in Sudan and those who have fled to neighbouring countries. However, for our assistance to be effective, we need safe, timely and unhindered access to humanitarian operations. This should be ensured by all parties to the conflict at all times, in accordance with humanitarian principles. Today's high-level event will highlight these critical accessibility issues, as well as remind belligerents of their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law."

The conflict in Sudan since April 15 between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces has killed more than 5,000 people and displaced millions, according to United Nations reports.