UN official calls for urgent action to confront Sudan crisis
Moatinoon - Agencies
The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator called for urgent international action to address the Sudans deepening crisis, highlighting the suffering of millions of people displaced by the war.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher spoke with refugees during a nine-day visit to the Sudan and Chad, promising to convey their plight and to urge the world to give them greater support.
"We are not invisible," he said, echoing a refugees message.
Since April 2023, the Sudan has witnessed a war between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo "Hemeti".
The war left tens of thousands dead and displaced more than 11 million people, including 3.1 million displaced outside the country, according to the International Organization for Migration. According to the United Nations, it has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. The warring parties were accused of using hunger as a weapon of war.
During Fridays visit to El Geneina, the capital of Western Darfur State, Fletcher met with the Governor of the region and heard "heartbreak stories" from refugees fleeing the conflict.
A statement released on Saturday night by the United Nations quoted Fletcher as saying: "The situation is difficult there, it is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. I spoke with local residents and host communities ".
Before going to Darfur, Fletcher visited the Adri crossing on the border with Chad after extending the delivery of United Nations assistance for another three months early in November.
Fletcher, who met with representatives of host communities in Chad, explained that Adri is a "lifeline for urgent aid to people in the Sudan."
He told refugees in Chad: "I know the situation is very difficult. I know you need food, medicine, education, shelter, dignity ".
Approximately 26 million people, about half of the population, face the threat of famine in the Sudan. "These numbers are shocking, and we cannot ignore them," Fletcher said.
