A UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) official said that one in three Sudanese are displaced, and one in six internally displaced persons globally come from Sudan.
UNHCR’s Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Mamadou Dian Balde spoke to reporters today (14 Apr) via video link, on the humanitarian needs inside Sudan and in neighboring countries, as one of the largest displacement crises globally with nearly 13 million people forcibly displaced.
Balde said, “Countries have been hosting refugees. Regional countries, neighboring countries have not closed their borders. They've been receiving the refugees.”
“Communities that don't have enough have shared what they have. And that's really the true spirit of solidarity. And this is what we see happening in the region,” he highlighted
The UNHCR official also said, “as we speak today, over 70,000 have reached Uganda. Uganda has problem of its own, and Uganda has thankfully opened and kept these borders open despite receiving 1.8 million refugees as we speak, they have added to that 70,000 Sudanese refugees and, Libya over 200,000.”
Balde also stressed that only 10 percent of the Regional Refugee Response plan is currently funded.
He called for the support for the 111 partners who are part of the Plan.
The UNHCR official thanked the various partners who have contributed, stressing that however with only 10 per cent of the plan funded reaching the fifth month of the year, “the level of support to have food, to have water, to have protection services, education, shelter, housing, this level of support is going to be extremely, extremely low.”
Balde explained that request of the Regional Refugee Response plan is 1.8 billion US dollars to be able to serve 4.9 million refugees and immediate hosts in neighboring countries.
He added that the 111 partners that are coordinate aid, a third of them are national partners, “people who are closer to the realities, in addition to international NGOs as well as national NGOs and the UN organizations,” the UNHCR official said.
Balde reiterated the need for ceasefire stressing that us that the Sudanese refugees want “a normalcy so that they can return home and take care of themselves.”
The world’s worst humanitarian crisis and one of its most dangerous, complex, bloody wars gets a moment in the spotlight in London on 15 April. Foreign ministers and senior officials from international organisations will meet at Lancaster House to discuss Sudan. After two years of conflict, the UK is taking a diplomatic initiative that many believe long overdue given its historical ties and current responsibility at the United Nations Security Council to hold the pen on Sudan resolutions.
But is the conference likely to lead to anything positive for the Sudanese people?
Expectations are understandably low. The de facto Sudanese authorities led by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have criticised the UK for not inviting them to the conference. They object strongly to the UAE being invited because they consider it an ally of the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and therefore a party to the conflict. On the ground both the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have pledged to continue the war until they achieve complete victory. No impartial observer thinks that possible. As the war drags on, Sudan suffers from political polarisation, fragmentation and continued external meddling.
It's too easy to look the other way and too easy to think this is just a messy, protracted struggle that will continue inconclusively. But the immediate future may not be a continuation of the last two years.
Red warning lights are flashing. Sudan’s neighbour South Sudan is teetering on the brink of civil war and the Sudanese conflict is playing its part in destabilising South Sudan and vice versa. Other neighbouring countries are also vulnerable to fall-out from Sudan: Chad in particular. With any expansion of war in the region, the humanitarian consequences and political risks of spiralling conflict magnify. Within Sudan itself the increased presence of Islamist extremists, armed militia and potentially international terror groups is another flashing light. Geopolitical tensions - already existing - may escalate. The Sudan Armed Forces have been ostracised by western powers and have entered agreements with Russia and Iran in their search for arms. Both countries see establishing a presence on Sudan’s Red Sea coast as a prize. But such a move would be highly provocative for others, including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Over the last two years efforts to broker ceasefires have failed, only limited progress has been made on improving humanitarian access and efforts to bring about a comprehensive political settlement between the various actors - the two military forces, political parties, armed movements and civil society actors - have all led to nought. Many have tried, including the UN, AU, IGAD, the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey but none has succeeded. These “track 1” efforts have been complemented by multiple “track 2” initiatives led by NGOs and peace foundations. But so far the willingness to give as well as take in any negotiation is sorely missing.
Proposals
Absent political will by the protagonists and their external backers, what can be achieved in London?
Limited but important steps can be agreed in three areas: the humanitarian response, political process and international cooperation.
On the humanitarian front, the key challenges remain both funding and access. In April 2024 at a conference in Paris, donors made generous pledges totalling USD $2 billion. Much of that has yet to be disbursed. London is not a pledging conference, but should be the opportunity for partners to live up to their past commitments and renew their determination to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance for the 11 million Sudanese forced to flee their homes— food, shelter, medicines and healthcare at a minimum. The challenges for humanitarians are enormous: Sudan’s domestic political and ethnic complexity compounded by the regional tensions with and between Sudan’s neighbours necessitate an enhanced international aid effort coordinated by a senior UN figure.
A political process remains the missing element and in London agreement may be possible on how to deal with the most immediate challenge as well as on the essential elements for a future process. Since the SAF now control the capital Khartoum again, it is likely they will press ahead with their own political roadmap and appoint a civilian government subordinate to the military to take forward a transition towards eventual restoration of democracy.
How should the international community respond to this - reject, ignore, embrace, or shape it? Given the risk of Sudan being partitioned into two warring regions - Darfur and the South controlled by the RSF and the North, East and centre being controlled by the SAF - no SAF-imposed roadmap is going to be the final word. Not only will it not include the RSF and its supporters, but also many of the political actors who supported the 2019 revolution, which overthrew General Bashir’s military rule, will have nothing to do with the SAF roadmap. So the challenge for the international community is to try to work within the new political reality on a temporary and tentative basis. The aim should be to shape the SAF’s actions in order to move towards a credible inclusive political transition. The London conference could agree criteria by which such a political process will be judged. Key questions will be: how inclusive is the process and what genuine efforts are made to ensure inclusiveness of all Sudan; how are civil and political rights protected; how will security, justice and reconciliation be achieved; what are the criteria for selection of members of a transitional administration; what real authority will the administration have over economic and budgetary affairs; what are the provisions and realistic timetable for an all-inclusive Sudanese national dialogue? Above all, how firmly enshrined is the commitment to full democratic and civilian rule in Sudan, for which Sudanese men, women and youth struggled and died over the years?
These are difficult questions that have defied easy answers since 2019. Helping Sudanese actors address them will require substantial and coordinated international action.
The third way the London conference could contribute is by setting out agreed principles and a framework for the international community. The Sudan crisis is of such a complexity and international nature that it requires a creative and collaborative approach. The conference could propose that an international panel of mediators be appointed, led by the African Union but comprising additional senior figures from beyond Africa. Rank is important and ideally the panel would be at former head of state or government level and mandated by a UN Security Council resolution. The panel’s focus should be on advancing a comprehensive political settlement. Early consultation with the SAF, RSF and Sudanese civil and political actors about the terms of reference will be essential. The conference could agree who should take forward this consultation and a time frame.
Conclusion
Foreign Secretary David Lammy convened the conference after seeing at first hand the devastating impact of the war on Sudanese women and children on the Chad-Sudan border. Just because the Sudan war is complicated and far from our TV screens, we cannot in all conscience ignore it. This is a moment to put the Foreign Secretary’s doctrine of “progressive realism” into action.
[These are the personal views of the author and do not represent the views of any organisation with which he is associated.]
British Ambassador in Khartoum Nicholas Kay is blogging the drama and scale of the change taking place in Sudan
The British government's Foreign & Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO, has started a blog about the work of the British Ambassador to Sudan. The blog is authored by Nicholas Kay CMG, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Sudan. Mr Kay (pictured below) arrived in Khartoum to take up his role as HM Ambassador to Sudan on 29 May 2010. Here is a copy of his first two blog posts followed by several related reports.
SEEMS the following demands made at today's (Saturday) IGAD meeting in Kampala, Uganda occurred after Sudan suspended its membership of IGAD:
"In a communique, read by Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the heads of states, including Presidents William Ruto of Kenya and Salva Kiir of South Sudan, along with representatives of the European Union, African Union and the United Nations, outlined their demands to the warring factions.
According to the communique, the conflict must be resolved by the Sudanese without any external interference. The IGAD leaders condemned the ongoing conflict that has caused suffering, with people losing hope and the state about to collapse". Read more.
From Observer Uganda
Written by VOA (Voice of America)
Dated Saturday, 20 January 2024 - here is a copy in full:
IGAD gives Sudan’s warring factions two weeks to meet
South Sudan President Salva Kiir at IGAD meeting
East Africa’s Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has given Sudan’s warring factions two weeks to meet face-to-face to de-escalate the situation.
The meeting, which also discussed the tension between Ethiopia and Somalia, made it clear that Somalia’s integrity must be respected. The IGAD meeting in Kampala described the conflict and political tension in the Horn of Africa and Sudan as a disturbing, senseless and devastating development.
Djibouti President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, also the IGAD chairperson, said the group’s heads of state met with a sense of urgency as the region grapples with challenging times. The conflict in Sudan broke out in April between the national army, led by Gen Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and Gen Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo of the Rapid Support Forces. Since then, 7 million people have been displaced and 12,000 have been killed.
Sudan suspended its participation in the Kampala IGAD summit, accusing the regional body of violating its sovereignty and setting a dangerous precedent.
In a communique, read by Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the heads of states, including Presidents William Ruto of Kenya and Salva Kiir of South Sudan, along with representatives of the European Union, African Union and the United Nations, outlined their demands to the warring factions.
According to the communique, the conflict must be resolved by the Sudanese without any external interference. The IGAD leaders condemned the ongoing conflict that has caused suffering, with people losing hope and the state about to collapse.
The Rapid Support Forces has specifically been accused of mass killings and use of rape as a weapon of war, especially in Darfur. Both parties have been accused of war crimes. Meanwhile, IGAD expressed concern about relations between Ethiopia and Somalia.
Early this month, Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, giving Ethiopia access to the sea. In return, Ethiopia would consider recognizing Somaliland as an independent country. IGAD reaffirmed that any such agreement should be with Somalia.
Mike Hammer, the US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, said the US is particularly concerned that the agreement could disrupt the fight that Somalis, Africa and regional partners are waging against the terrorist group al-Shabaab.
"We have already seen troubling indications that al-Shabab is using the MOU to generate new recruits," he said. "We urge both sides to avoid precipitous actions including related to existing Ethiopian force deployment to Somalia that could create opportunities for al-Shabab to expand its reach within Somalia and into Ethiopia."
The African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat urged both Somalia and Ethiopia to engage without delay, saying the tension compounds an already difficult time for the region.
Report at BBC News Live Reporting By Richard Hamilton BBC World Service Newsroom Posted Monday 19 June 2023 at 15:05 pm GMT BST - full copy:
Sudan's descent into destruction unprecedented - Guterres
Reuters
Copyright: Reuters
Image caption: Hundreds have been killed since fighting broke out in April
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says Sudan has descended into "death and destruction" at an unprecedented speed.
"Without strong international support, Sudan could quickly become a locus of lawlessness, radiating insecurity across the region," Mr Guterres added when addressing a pledging conference.
He's been speaking at the start of an international humanitarian summit in Geneva, organised by the UN, Egypt, Germany, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as the African Union and the European Union.
The UN says it's appealed for $3bn (£2.3bn) of funding this year, but less than 17% has been provided.
The conference comes mid-way through a three-day ceasefire between the rival military factions. Several previous truces have broken down.
"The meeting, which is one of the signature events of the June Council Presidency of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will be chaired by Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Minister of State at the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
It appears that Egypt (on behalf of the Arab Group at the UN) will participate under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure." Read more.
The meeting, which is one of the signature events of the June Council Presidency of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will be chaired by Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Minister of State at the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The expected briefers are Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo; LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit; and Dr. Omnia El Omrani, who was the Youth Envoy for the President of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27),held in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022.
It appears that Egypt (on behalf of the Arab Group at the UN) will participate under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Strengthening partnerships and cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations—as envisioned in Chapter VIII of the UN Charter—has become an increasingly prominent theme for the Security Council.
The Council has held annual consultative meetings with the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) since 2007 and has received regular briefings from the EU since 2010.
It has also held debates and briefings on cooperation with several other bodies, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
In the past decade, LAS representatives have addressed the Council on several occasions, not least due to the proliferation of conflicts in the Arab world.
In recent years, Arab Council members have featured meetings on the UN-LAS relationship as signature events of their presidencies, including Kuwait in June 2019, Tunisia in January 2021, and the UAE in March 2022. Presidential statements focusing on the relationship between the two organisations were the outcome of these three meetings.
The UAE has circulated a concept note in preparation for tomorrow’s meeting, indicating that the briefing is an opportunity to explore expanding joint efforts to address the interrelated peace, security, and humanitarian challenges facing the Arab region. It poses several questions to help guide the discussion, including:
How can the Security Council and the LAS enhance their collaboration to promote tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and human fraternity, while aligning their approaches across the peace continuum, from conflict prevention to post-conflict peacebuilding?
What challenges do donor coordination efforts face in the context of emergency humanitarian crises, and how can the UN and the LAS work together to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of aid delivery in such situations?
How can the contributions of women and young people in peacebuilding be better acknowledged and supported by the Security Council and the LAS? What actions can be taken to improve the meaningful involvement of women and youth in peace and security initiatives in the Arab region?
At tomorrow’s meeting, Council members are expected to underscore the contributions of regional organisations to international peace and security. They may reflect on how the UN and the LAS can work together more effectively across the “peace continuum”, ranging from conflict prevention to post-conflict peacebuilding. Building on themes discussed in the concept note, members may also speak about cooperation between the UN and the LAS in promoting the rights of women and youth in the region.
In this regard, some may emphasise the importance of implementing the 2022 “Arab Declaration to Combat All Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls”, including through partnership with UN Women. They might also offer their views on the “Arab Strategy on Youth, Peace and Security”, which is expected to be launched later this year and has been developed with assistance from the UN Liaison Office to the LAS, which was established in 2019 in Cairo. Some members may talk about efforts to combat terrorism in the Arab world, including the Arab regional counter-terrorism strategy adopted in March 2022.
There could also be discussion of the adverse effects of climate change in the region and how to address them. It appears that this issue may be a focus of El Omrani’s briefing. The Council has also recognised the negative impact of climate change and other environmental factors in resolutions on one peace operation in the Middle East, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). In resolution 2682 of 30 May, which most recently renewed UNAMI’s mandate for one year, the Council called on the mission to advise, support, and assist the Iraqi government in facilitating regional dialogue and cooperation on several issues, including the “adverse impacts of climate change in particular those contributing to desertification and drought, resilience building, infrastructure, public health, and refugees”.
There is also likely to be discussion at tomorrow’s meeting of how the UN and the LAS can more effectively address security and humanitarian challenges in several country situations on the Security Council’s agenda. During the 32nd summit of the LAS in Jeddah on 19 May, the participants referred to several of these situations when they issued the “Jeddah Declaration”, which:
stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just settlement to the Palestinian issue;
expressed deep concern at the ramifications of the crisis in Sudan for the security, safety, and stability of LAS countries and people;
welcomed the decision of the Arab League Council to resume the participation of Syria in LAS meetings; and
advocated for the ongoing UN and regional efforts to come up with a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen.
Council members have traditionally held contrasting views about how to approach many of the peace and security challenges in the Arab world. This is illustrated by the frequent vetoes cast over the years by the US and Russia on resolutions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Syria, respectively. In recent months, while some Council members—such as Russia and the UAE—have supported efforts to normalise relations with Syria, others, including the UK and the US, have remained sceptical.
NOTE from Sudan Watch Ed: In the following video, transcript and report featuring a message for the people of Sudan from US Secretary of State Mr Antony Blinken, I hope he's saying what I think and hope he's saying.
Maybe I'm wrong but this idea kept going through my mind over past 2 weeks: why don’t Sudanese civilians in Resistance and Neighbourhood Committees go ahead and start forming a civilian-led government for Sudan.
Or maybe I’m overtired and reading too much into the message from Secretary Blinken or it’s just wishful thinking on my part. Whatever, his message clearly says: "civilians must define Sudan’s path forward".
Surely if Sudanese civilians form a government now, they'll be ready soon. Here is the video of Mr Blinken's message for the people of Sudan plus a transcript I made, and a report at Radio Dabanga (beige highlight is mine).
Note, Mr Blinken says ceasefire will be backed by a remote monitoring mechanism. Perhaps it's satellite technology to monitor 24/7 and prove to a court, such as the International Criminal Court, who did what, where, when.
People across the world will support the Sudanese civilians endeavour. No doubt if they convey what they need via social media and mainstream news reports, it will be given. God bless Sudan and South Sudan.
Transcript of video message for the people of Sudan from US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken dated Tuesday 23 May 2023:
"This message is for the people of Sudan.
The violence committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces over the past month has been tragic; senseless, and devastating. The whole world has been united in calling for an end to this conflict and insisting on a negotiated solution.
The seven-day ceasefire that goes into effect today is designed to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and repair of essential services and infrastructure. Agreement by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to this short-term ceasefire agreement was the result of intensive diplomacy and the close partnership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States.
It will be backed by a remote monitoring mechanism supported by the United States. If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable through our sanctions and other tools at our disposal.
We facilitated this ceasefire but it’s the responsibility of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to implement it. The Jeddah talks have had a narrow focus - ending violence and bringing assistance to the Sudanese people. A permanent resolution of this conflict will require much more.
I want to be clear that Sudans civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward. You should lead a political process to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and form a civilian government.
Sudan’s political future belongs to you the people of your great great nation. Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the national from external threats.
The Unites States of America supports a democratic government that represents the full diversity of the Sudanese people, including populations from the periphery who have long been marginalised and women whose voices have long been ignored.
Only a civilian government can succeed in delivering stability and security, and fulfilling your aspirations for freedom, for peace, for justice.
We have always been a partner to the people of Sudan as you bravely resisted military dictatorship and demanded civilian rule and you can count on us to remain by your side until you achieve this goal."
Secretary Blinken's video message to the Sudanese people.
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The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President's foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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(WASHINGTON) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has encouraged the warring Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to abide by the seven-day humanitarian ceasefire that took effect last night. In a video message to the people of Sudan, he highlights that Sudan’s civilian population must define the way forward.
The USA is a co-broker with Saudi Arabia of the Jeddah talks that led to the short-term ceasefire agreement on Saturday. In light of frequent violations of previous truces by both sides, Blinken reminds parties that the agreement includes monitoring by a remote US-Saudi-international monitoring mechanism. “If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable through our sanctions and other tools at our disposal,” Blinken warns.
In his video message, Secretary Blinken notes that “the violence committed by the SAF and RSF over the past month has been tragic, senseless, and devastating. The whole world has been united in calling for an end to this conflict and insisting on a negotiated solution.
‘If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable…’
He explains that the seven-day ceasefire is designed to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and repair of essential services and infrastructure. Blinken highlights that the agreement by the SAF and the RSF to this short-term ceasefire was the result of intensive diplomacy and the close partnership of USA and Saudi Arabia.
“We facilitated this ceasefire but it’s the responsibility of the SAF and RSF to implement it,” he says. “The Jeddah talks have had a narrow focus – ending violence and bringing assistance to the Sudanese people. A permanent resolution of this conflict will require much more.”
‘Sudan’s civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward…’
Addressing the Sudanese public directly, Blinken emphasises: “I want to be clear that Sudan’s civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward. You should lead a political process to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and form a civilian government.
‘Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the nation from external threats…’
“Sudan’s political future belongs to you, the people of your great nation. Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the nation from external threats. The USA supports a democratic government that represents the full diversity of the Sudanese people, including populations from the periphery who have long been marginalised and women whose voices have long been ignored.
“Only a civilian government can succeed in delivering stability and security, and fulfilling your aspirations for freedom, for peace, for justice. We have always been a partner to the people of Sudan as you bravely resisted military dictatorship and demanded civilian rule and you can count on us to remain by your side until you achieve this goal,” Blinken’s message concludes.
$245 million US aid
In a separate statement from Washington today, the US Dept of State says that last week, the USA announced $245 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan and neighbouring countries countries experiencing the impacts of the ongoing humanitarian crisis. These funds include nearly $143 million from the Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugee and Migration and $103 million in additional humanitarian assistance from the US Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.
“With this funding, our humanitarian partners can respond to the new needs arising from the current conflict, which has displaced approximately 840,000 people within the country and forced another 250,000 to flee since April 15,” the US State Dept says.
According to the statement, this announcement brings total US humanitarian assistance for Sudan and neighbours Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic to nearly $880 million in the 2023 financial year.
Sanctions
On May 2, US President Joe Biden called the violence in Sudan a ‘tragedy’, and signed an executive order paving the way for the USA to impose sanctions on “certain persons destabilising Sudan and undermining the goal of democratic transition”. The order extends existing sanctions but does not impose any specific additional sanctions at this time.
In a statement following the signing, Biden called the current conflict in Sudan “a betrayal of the Sudanese people’s clear demand for civilian government and a transition to democracy.”
Biden’s order expands the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997 (blocking Sudanese government property and prohibiting transactions with Sudan), and expanded by Executive Order 13400 of April 26, 2006 (blocking property of persons in connection with the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region), finding that “the situation in Sudan, including the military’s seizure of power in October 2021 and the outbreak of inter-service fighting in April 2023, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the USA.”
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