Martin Griffiths, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has called for intensified efforts to prevent the conflict in Sudan from turning into an “endless civil war.”
In a statement published on the website of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Griffiths stated, “Over the past three months, the people of Sudan have endured indescribable suffering amidst the violence that is tearing their country apart.”
He added, “As the conflict enters its fourth month, the frontlines are intensifying, making it increasingly difficult to reach the millions of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.”
Griffiths emphasized that Sudan is now one of the most challenging places in the world for humanitarian workers. Together with local organizations, they are doing everything possible to provide life-saving supplies.
“However, we cannot operate under the threat of arms. We cannot replenish food, water, and medicine stocks if they continue to be brazenly looted. We cannot deliver aid if our staff are denied access to those in need,” he warned.
He affirmed that the suffering of Sudan will not end until the fighting ceases, stating, “We need commitments from the conflict parties that allow us to deliver humanitarian aid safely to those in need, wherever they may be.”
Griffiths stressed that both sides must adhere to the declaration of commitments they made in Jeddah to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law.
He highlighted that since the start of the conflict, over 3 million people, half of whom are children, have fled violence inside and outside Sudan. Approximately 13.6 million remaining children in Sudan are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
