The United Nations has emphasized that the lack of security amid the ongoing civil war in Sudan, coupled with inadequate international funding, is impeding efforts to assist millions of people in the country.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan at the United Nations, addressed these challenges at a press conference in Geneva, stating, “We need to reach 18 million people, and we will not give up on this goal. However, we require more international support and improved access to those who need our help, ensuring the safety of our operations.”
Nkweta-Salami further revealed that 19 humanitarian workers have lost their lives since the conflict erupted in mid-April of this year, with 29 others sustaining injuries. While she did not specify whether these workers were specifically targeted, she noted that “in many cases, our efforts are being obstructed.”
Sudan has been experiencing a war since April 15th, pitting the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the Rapid Support Forces, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The battles have primarily been concentrated in Khartoum and the Darfur region in western Sudan.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Nkweta-Salami expressed her anger at reports indicating the killing of six displaced persons and the displacement of 2,300 others during clashes on September 26th between Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces near the Hosh Hajoussa camp in central Darfur.
Since the start of the conflict, approximately 7,500 individuals, including at least 435 children, have lost their lives, according to the non-governmental organization ACLED and the United Nations. This figure is believed to be significantly lower than the actual number of conflict-related casualties.
Furthermore, around 5 million people have been forced to leave their homes and become internally displaced within Sudan or seek refuge in neighboring countries.
Nkweta-Salami remarked, “We have been able to provide assistance through the cross-border mechanism from Chad to Darfur.” However, humanitarian aid stocks are often targeted or looted. She added, “By mid-September, approximately 3,000 tons of humanitarian supplies had been delivered by 66 trucks across six states. But we must be able to deliver more safely, regularly, and quickly.”
Complicating matters are the mandatory presence of military personnel during truck loading in Port Sudan, where the United Nations resumed its main office operations, ongoing fighting in the capital making work nearly impossible, and delays in obtaining entry visas, all adding extra obstacles to humanitarian efforts.
On another front, Nkweta-Salami expressed concern regarding cholera, stating that “containing the spread of cholera in a war zone is challenging, even in the best of times. With escalating fighting, it may be virtually impossible to control.”
The United Nations is investigating whether this disease has reached Khartoum and South Kordofan State.
In the face of this complex humanitarian crisis with vast dimensions, there is also a shortage of funds. Nkweta-Salami stressed that “the humanitarian appeal, valued at $2.6 billion, has been funded at only one-third of its value.”
