The United States, the United Arab Emirates and several international partners on Wednesday urged Sudan’s warring factions to agree to pauses in fighting to allow critical humanitarian aid into famine-hit areas, warning that millions face starvation.
In a joint statement, the group said it was “appalled by the continuous deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan, including the growing number of people in situations of severe malnutrition and famine, and by the wide range of access impediments that are delaying or blocking the response in key areas.”
The appeal stressed that the crisis is particularly acute in North Darfur and Kordofan, where civilians are trapped without access to food or safe passage. The countries urged Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to allow humanitarian pauses for the delivery of aid and to ease restrictions on civilians fleeing conflict zones. “International humanitarian law must be fully respected,” the statement emphasized.
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF, plunging the country into one of the world’s worst hunger crises. The United Nations estimates that nearly 25 million people, more than half the population, urgently need assistance, with millions cut off from aid.
The UAE, a signatory to the statement, has faced accusations of supporting the RSF, including supplying weapons and allegedly recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight on its behalf, allegations it has denied.
Alongside the US and UAE, the statement was endorsed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the African Union and the United Nations.
The coordinated plea comes as Washington faces criticism over its backing of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, where a parallel humanitarian disaster is unfolding.
Written By Rodney Mbua
