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29 August 2024 (Port Sudan) – United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Thursday called on the international community to increase assistance to Sudan as the country opened a key border crossing to facilitate humanitarian aid.
Mohammed held talks with Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and other officials at the end of a one-day visit to Port Sudan, focusing on Sudan’s worsening humanitarian crisis and the urgent need to expand aid delivery channels.
Burhan assured Mohammed of the government’s commitment to facilitating humanitarian aid and highlighted the recent opening of the Adre crossing linking West Darfur and Chad, a move that is expected to ease the delivery of aid despite previous concerns about possible abuses by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Acting Foreign Minister Hussein Awad reiterated Sudan’s cooperation with the United Nations and called on the international community to put pressure on the rapid rescue team to ensure the smooth distribution of aid.
Mohammed also met with Vice President Malik Agar and other members of the Sovereign Council to discuss the overall situation in Sudan.
During the visit, Ms. Mohammed stressed the urgency of the humanitarian crisis and called on the international community to step up its support. She praised the government’s decision to open the Adre border and stressed its key role in addressing the huge humanitarian needs.
“The situation in Sudan demands urgent action,” Mohammed said. “The international community must step up its efforts to deliver on its commitments to provide humanitarian assistance. The Sudanese people are facing famine, lack of medical supplies and enormous suffering.”
“The Sudanese people cannot wait any longer,” Mohammed said. “We must act now to save lives and prevent further suffering.”
Solving the problem
To ensure that aid reaches those in need, the Under-Secretary-General discussed with the Humanitarian Aid Commission the procedures for access to Adre.
“We’ve discussed how to firstly not stop any of the assistance that’s currently being provided. But at the same time, address the government’s legitimate concerns and put processes in place to ensure that this assistance gets to the people who need it,” she said.
The government fears that the RSF will control the distribution of humanitarian aid and use it to strengthen its control over the population in areas under its control. The paramilitary group recently established a civil administration in the RSF-controlled areas of Darfur.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Awad said, “Despite the government’s misgivings about the Adre crossing, the government cooperated and opened the crossing to put an end to negative narratives that the government had failed to save its people.”
The United Nations estimates that more than 20 million people in Sudan – nearly half the population – are in need of humanitarian assistance. The conflict has displaced millions, disrupted basic services and exacerbated food shortages.
(English stone)
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