In a significant development aimed at alleviating the humanitarian crisis, Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to provide two safe corridors for humanitarian aid.
This agreement, reached after negotiations in Switzerland, marks a crucial step in addressing the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict that has ravaged the country for nearly a year and a half.
According to a joint statement released on Friday, international mediators secured guarantees from both parties to ensure unimpeded access to aid through two key routes: the western border crossing at Adré in the Darfur region and the Al-Dabbah route, which facilitates access to northern and western Sudan from Port Sudan.
The talks were brokered by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations participating as observers.
The conflict in Sudan erupted in mid-April 2023, pitting the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan—who also serves as the head of the Sovereign Council and the de facto ruler of Sudan—against the Rapid Support Forces, commanded by his former ally and deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.
As a result of the conflict, more than 25 million people, or nearly half of Sudan’s population, are now facing “acute food insecurity,” according to the United Nations.
Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, emphasized in a statement on Wednesday that reopening the Adré crossing is crucial to efforts to prevent famine across Sudan and must remain open.
The Sudanese government has confirmed that the Adré crossing will remain operational for the next three months.
The war in Sudan has precipitated a severe humanitarian crisis, with aid organizations decrying the lack of security that has hindered their ability to deliver essential humanitarian assistance for months.
