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By Stephen Cornish
Executive Director of MSF Switzerland
This time last year, I overheard the testimony of a child who had fled Khartoum with his family at the beginning of the war and sought refuge in eastern Sudan. Despite the fear surrounding him, his biggest fear was that the sounds of gunfire and airstrikes meant he would go hungry. For this child, war meant losing the certainties of daily life, such as access to food.
Today, as I read the news about Sudan, my thoughts turned to the ceasefire negotiations in Geneva, just a few kilometers from where I write this. The peace talks, led by the United States and co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, aim to bring Sudan’s warring parties to the negotiating table. It is a vital step in the long and difficult process of building the foundations of peace in this war-torn country. But it is only a step.
While political dialogue is essential, restoring dignity, well-being and health care to millions of people requires more than silencing the guns. The path to peace requires a long-term commitment from both warring parties. Medical facilities must be respected and humanitarian assistance must be allowed to reach all those in need.
Sudan’s crisis is multifaceted. Ten million people, about a fifth of the population, have been displaced, making it the world’s largest displacement crisis. Malnutrition is widespread across multiple regions, threatening even Khartoum, which has been on the front line since April 2023. Malnutrition has reached catastrophic levels, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) treating more than 20,000 malnourished children between January and June 2024. The health system has collapsed, with 70-80% of facilities no longer functioning, leaving countless people without care.
After 16 months of war, the warring parties continue to obstruct humanitarian aid, systematically blocking access to areas controlled by the other side. Access is often restricted, the safety of aid workers is insecure, and sometimes it is simply not possible. These conditions have forced MSF to suspend some of its activities, but our teams are still working in eight of Sudan’s 18 states. We are one of the few international aid organizations still working in areas controlled by both sides of the conflict, but our capacity is stretched to the limit and the needs are huge.
Two million have fled to neighboring countries, including Chad. When I visited Adre makeshift refugee camp in eastern Chad last December, most of the Sudanese refugees I met had left because of violence and food shortages. The war had prevented farmers from planting and harvesting, leaving markets empty or with high prices, making food unaffordable for many.
To prevent the situation from deteriorating further, safe and unrestricted access for large-scale humanitarian operations must be guaranteed, regardless of a ceasefire. The practice of limiting or prioritizing aid based on territorial control must cease, with the focus on ensuring access, safety and protection for civilians and humanitarian operations.
Cross-border assistance is critical, especially as the rainy season renders regular supply routes impassable. Local food production and traditional import markets have been severely disrupted and will require significant time and investment to restore, time that the Sudanese people cannot afford.
Hopes for peace are now in disarray and require a coordinated, long-term commitment from the international community, with adequate funding. Even if peace talks are concluded, Sudan’s humanitarian crisis will continue.
Sudan’s road to recovery requires more than an emergency response. The country needs long-term partners – humanitarian organizations, development agencies, and reconstruction funds – committed to helping the Sudanese people rebuild their lives.
The Geneva peace talks are essential to creating an environment for political progress, but diplomacy alone will not be enough to address the urgent humanitarian crisis and the growing needs of Sudanese people who have been ravaged by civil war for more than a year. The peace process must be accompanied by concrete actions on the ground – actions that ensure civilians are protected and that all Sudanese have access to food, health care and basic services.
The real work is yet to come. Only in this way can we hope to see Sudan no longer have guns, and people can live a dignified and safe life, full of hope for the future.
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