UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a call for warring factions in Sudan to observe a ceasefire during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan, emphasizing the critical state of the country’s humanitarian crisis, which he described as reaching “colossal proportions.” Speaking at a Security Council meeting on Thursday, Guterres urged all parties involved to honor the values of Ramadan by agreeing to a cessation of hostilities during the holy month.
Deputy British Ambassador James Kariuki announced the proposal of a draft Council resolution that seeks an “immediate ceasefire before the holy month of Ramadan” and encourages all parties to facilitate unimpeded cross-border and cross-line humanitarian access. He expressed hope for a vote on the resolution to take place on Friday.
Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating war that has claimed thousands of lives, including up to 15,000 in a single town in Darfur, according to UN experts, and displaced millions since April of the previous year. The conflict, primarily between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has led to extensive destruction of infrastructure and a severe impact on Sudan’s economy.
The displacement crisis resulting from the conflict is now considered the world’s largest, with over eight million people uprooted in addition to the two million already displaced before the conflict began. The World Food Programme warned on Wednesday that the nearly 11-month war poses the risk of triggering the world’s largest hunger crisis. As the situation worsens, the UN’s appeal for a Ramadan ceasefire aims to address the immediate humanitarian needs and pave the way for a more sustained peace in Sudan.
