Sudan: Closed Consultations at UN Security Council

Security Council Report
From What's In Blue 
Dated Mon 4 Aug 2025 - full copy:

Sudan: Closed Consultations

This afternoon (4 August), Security Council members will convene for closed consultations on Sudan. The meeting was requested by Denmark and the UK (the penholder on the file) to receive an update on the humanitarian and political situations in the country, specifically in light of the recent escalation of violence in North Darfur state and the Kordofan region. Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan Ramtane Lamamra and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk are expected to brief.

Ahead of the meeting, Russia apparently objected to having an official from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) brief on Sudan, arguing that the office lacks the mandate to brief the Council on the issue. However, Denmark and the UK countered this argument, noting OHCHR’s strong presence in Port Sudan, as well as its access to nationwide networks and to parties to the conflict. They also argued that the Council should be able to draw on all relevant information to inform its work and cited precedents of briefings from OHCHR officials to the Council on other situations.

At this afternoon’s meeting, Lamamra is expected to provide an overview of the grave security situation in the country, amid spiralling and unabated violence. In recent months, North Darfur state and the Kordofan region have witnessed an alarming escalation in hostilities, with large numbers of civilians bearing the brunt of the fighting. Fierce clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have continued, as both parties seek to consolidate territorial control. The fighting has been marked by heavy use of drones, artillery, ground operations, and airstrikes, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and raising concerns about widespread violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. (For background and more information, see our 26 June What’s in Blue story.)

The Kordofan region has become a key flashpoint in the ongoing conflict due to its strategic importance as a crossroads linking the country from east to west and north to south. Control of the region is critical to shaping the balance of power in Sudan’s civil war. El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state and a focal point of fighting, remains the SAF’s westernmost stronghold after it broke the RSF’s siege in February. The SAF reportedly uses El-Obeid as a base for launching airstrikes into Darfur and for preventing RSF advances towards Khartoum. Recent media reports have indicated an RSF mobilisation aimed at seizing El-Obeid.

In a 17 July statement, OHCHR noted that it had verified the killing of at least 60 civilians by the RSF in the Bara locality of North Kordofan since 10 July. Civil society groups have reported significantly higher figures, with some estimates placing the death toll at up to 300. The OHCHR statement added that at least 23 civilians were reportedly killed and over 30 injured in airstrikes carried out by the SAF on two villages in West Kordofan state between 10 and 14 July. Additionally, on 17 July, a SAF airstrike in the Bara locality killed at least 11 civilians.

In the same statement, Türk warned that a continued escalation of hostilities would worsen the already dire humanitarian situation and heighten risks to civilians. He urged those with influence to prevent such an escalation and to ensure that both parties uphold their obligations under international law, including to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. Türk reiterated his call on the warring parties to ensure safe, sustained, and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid, including through humanitarian pauses. He stressed that alleged violations must be independently investigated and those responsible held accountable. This afternoon, the briefers and several Council members are likely to reiterate these messages.

Today’s meeting is also expected to take stock of recent political developments in Sudan. Kamil Eltayeb Idris—who has been appointed as Sudan’s prime minister by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the SAF’s leader and chairperson of the Transitional Sovereignty Council—has continued appointing members to a recently established 22-member non-partisan technocratic government. Meanwhile, the RSF-led Sudan Founding Alliance (known as “Tasis”)—a coalition of rival armed and political groups, including the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, which controls territory in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states—announced in late July the formation of a parallel government in RSF-held areas. The structure includes a 15-member presidential council headed by the RSF’s leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, with Hilu serving as vice president and Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi as prime minister.

Several regional and international interlocutors have denounced the RSF’s decision to establish a parallel governing authority, warning that it risks entrenching Sudan’s political fragmentation, and have underscored the importance of upholding the country’s territorial integrity. In a 29 July press statement, members of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) rejected the creation of the so-called “parallel government” and stressed that the AU only recognises the Transitional Sovereignty Council and the recently formed civilian transitional government, until consensual arrangements are reached to restore constitutional order.

Sudan has on multiple occasions expressed its desire to be readmitted to the AU, after having been suspended in the wake of the October 2021 military takeover. The AUPSC convened earlier today to consider the situation in Sudan, under the rotating presidency for the month of August of Algeria (an elected UN Security Council member in 2024-25).

Lamamra most recently briefed Council members in closed consultations on 27 June, providing an update on ongoing regional and international initiatives to resolve the crisis in Sudan. He apparently underscored the urgent need for a united and coordinated approach to address the crisis through immediate and concrete action. It seems that Lamamra also shared insights from the fourth consultative meeting on enhancing coordination among the various peace initiatives on Sudan, hosted and chaired by the European Union (EU) in Brussels a day earlier (26 June). The next round of the consultative meeting is expected to be held in Addis Ababa, although the date has yet to be determined.

At a tri-partite meeting in Baghdad in May, the leaders of the UN, AU, and the League of Arab States (LAS) agreed to maintain regular contact to better coordinate peace efforts in Sudan. The AU Chairperson’s special representative to Sudan, Mohamed Belaiche, visited Port Sudan last week, where he met with senior Sudanese officials, including Burhan and Idris. (For more information, see our 18 May and 26 June What’s in Blue stories.)

In recent months, the US has appeared to reinvigorate efforts to advance peace talks in Sudan, in coordination with regional and international partners. In early June, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos convened a meeting on the Sudan conflict in Washington DC with the ambassadors to the US of the other Quad countries, namely Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US had also planned to host a high-level meeting of Quad foreign ministers on 29 July; however, according to media reports, the meeting was postponed indefinitely due to disagreements between Egypt and the UAE—who are said to support opposing sides in the conflict—over the language of a proposed joint statement. There have also been reports that the US rejected an Egyptian request to include representatives of Sudan’s government in the meeting. Separately, the Sudan conflict has featured in recent bilateral discussions between senior US officials and key interlocutors, including Egypt and Qatar.

Security Council members are currently negotiating a draft press statement, authored by the “A3 Plus” members (Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Guyana) and the UK, that responds to the announcement made by the RSF-led Tasis alliance establishing a parallel governing authority. The draft press statement was open for comments until this morning. At the time of writing, members were awaiting a revised version of the text.

View original: 

https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2025/08/sudan-closed-consultations-8.php

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One in three Sudanese are displaced, one in six internally displaced persons globally are from Sudan

Press Conference | United Nations

Monday, 14 April 2025 - full copy:

Sudan: Massive violation of Human Rights 

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.”

Transcript

Follow along using the transcript at video: https://youtu.be/oPAQ8yRx9Z0

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Uganda welcomes Sudanese refugees with a plot of land to live & farm, 5-year residency, school education

OVER 60,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to Uganda where, reportedly, asylum processes are dealt with swiftly. Once new arrivals have registered with the UNHCR in Uganda, they are granted a five-year residency permit. 

The Ugandan government also grants refugees a plot of land to settle on and farm, and Sudanese children are given opportunities to enter schools. 

International organisations also provide weekly food and financial aid, and alongside this Sudanese volunteers have set up initiatives to provide free meals in the refugee camps with support from organisations and individuals.

Note, Europe has war at its door. Illegal immigrants risk losing their lives en route via criminal gangs or being turned back. Read more in report below.

Infographic credit: Africa Center for Strategic Studies - PDF

Image map credit: Encyclopaedia Britannica

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From The New Arab

By Abdelhameed Awad

Dated Tuesday, 03 December 2024 - full copy:

'Missing Sudan, but at least it's safe': Uganda welcomes Sudanese refugees with a plot of land and residency as displaced navigate challenges in new lives

Over 50,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to Uganda, where asylum processes are dealt with swiftly and upon acceptance, refugees are given a plot of land

Tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees in Uganda are struggling to resume their lives in the face of myriad difficulties, despite the silver lining of a relatively open-door policy in the country and asylum provisions which are more generous than many other states.

Over 50,000 Sudanese have reached Uganda so far, and many more are crossing the border into the country, which has stood out for the relatively swift pace it has processed newly arrived Sudanese refugees and granted them entry visas.

Tanzeel, a young girl from Wad Madani in central Sudan, came to Uganda in the hope of being able to complete her secondary school studies, she explains to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab's Arabic-language sister edition. She has registered for the Sudanese Certificate Examination and is currently waiting for the rest of her family to arrive.

Once new arrivals have registered with the UNHCR in the country, they are granted a five-year residency permit. The Ugandan government also grants refugees a plot of land to settle on and farm, and Sudanese children are given opportunities to enter schools.

International organisations also provide weekly food and financial aid, and alongside this Sudanese volunteers have set up initiatives to provide free meals in the refugee camps with support from organisations and individuals.

Near the Refugee reception offices in Bweyale, in east Uganda (300km away from the capital Kampala), hundreds of Sudanese refugees gather in cafes and restaurants.

Refugee communities have formed in 11 neighbourhoods across the city. Some of them have constructed tents with wood sticks and tarpaulin mats draped over them.

They complain about the lack of toilets, the distance to the hospital, and that a number of them have been assaulted and robbed by gangs.

Most Sudanese refugees in the country are currently spread between Kampala and Bweyale. Those in Kampala have tended towards renting private apartments or houses despite the high rents, and many have tried to enlist in the job market despite a lack of work opportunities.

Due to this, some have set up their businesses; restaurants, bakeries and stores owned by Sudanese individuals have spread, and these in turn are gaining the custom of other refugees, as they are providing Sudanese products.

Young refugee Anas Al Hussein says: "Work opportunities are limited, and those available are poorly paid. I worked twice - once in a factory, and a second time in a company distributing food items. In the end, I decided to open a small shop in a suburb of Bweyale, through which I can support my family and cover school and medical expenses."

Since the start of the conflict in Sudan in mid-April 2023, over 11 million civilians have been forced to flee their homes  

[Amaury Falt-Brown/AFP via Getty]

There are thousands of Sudanese refugees living in Bweyale, all of whom have journeyed hundreds of miles to reach the city, where a UNHCR office has been opened especially to provide reception to Sudanese refugees and host them during their initial days in the reception camps until their registration process is completed.

Once they have acquired the necessary documents, they start receiving financial support and are relocated to land that the Ugandan government has allocated for them.

Abkar Arbab lives with his wife and eight children in one of the refugee reception camps. He tells of how his family journeyed for around a month, starting from the Mayo district in the south of Khartoum. From there, they travelled to Rabak City in White Nile State, then to Renk City in South Sudan.

From there they journeyed to Malakal, then to the capital Juba, reaching Nimule before crossing the South Sudanese-Ugandan border, where they were received by UNHCR staff and transported to Bweyale.

"The journey used up all the money I had, and physically exhausted me and my family," Abkar said, but "then we were given refugee cards and started receiving financial support."

He says the family plans to use the stipend to buy building materials after they were granted a plot of land.

"I am planning to farm it to provide for my family's needs, and am optimistic because I have experience in agriculture, unlike many refugees. As well as this, charity organisations have provided us with humanitarian assistance."

Formidable challenges facing Sudanese refugees are the difficulty of integrating into Ugandan society and the fears they have for the futures of their children, in addition to the lack of work opportunities and high rents.

Marwa al-Farsi, another Sudanese refugee in Uganda, expresses her sorrow at what the Sudanese people have endured and the state they are now in.

They "were burned a lot before the war, and they are being burned after it," she says.

She says she left her home in Khartoum for many reasons, including that her children were panicking every time they heard gunshots or shelling. However, now she misses her life in Sudan but says that living in Uganda is challenging, at least here they are safe.

Software engineering student Mohammed Al Muntasir Hussein came with a group of friends from Omdurman, after hearing that gaining asylum in Uganda might give them the chance to be resettled in Europe later.

With this hope, they embarked on the long, exhausting and dangerous journey to reach Uganda. After crossing the border, they spent four months in the Nyumanzi reception centre after which they were taken to Bweyale and given a plot of land to live on and farm.

They spent ten months in Bweyale, and have been unable to complete their studies. The UNHCR gives them 14,000 Ugandan shillings every month, equivalent to $4 per person, "which is barely enough for two days," according to Mohammed.

However, they coordinate and assist each other to get through the rest of the month.

His friend Abubakar Jalal, also a university student from the Kalakla area of south Khartoum, complains about the challenges in accessing Ugandan universities to complete his education.

He's a medical engineering student and completed his third year but his education was halted due to the war. Even though he has 14 certificates from various training courses, he still hasn't found a way to obtain a scholarship.

As for Sudanese musician Saud Imam, he is also in Bweyale, where he has been given a piece of land.

"The first period was hard, especially as the land they gave us is in the middle of an intensively farmed area. It's a narrow space, and is full of insects," he says.

"We've also had other problems like a lack of food," he adds, explaining that they had been receiving a monthly food basket "but then it was swapped for a monthly sum which isn't sufficient. The bigger problem though is accessing water; you need to walk several kilometres every day to fetch water."

However, Saud has tried his best to alleviate the suffering of those around him and lighten the burdens of his fellow refugees.

"When I reached Bweyale, I found that some of the people who had got here before me were suffering from nervous breakdowns, so I started organising concerts."

He began two choirs, one for children and another for adults, and started organising cultural evenings "to ease people's suffering, and help them heal."

"I have faith that music is one of the things which can bring a change of spirit, and allow people to forget war and its troubles," he says.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition. To read the original article click here.

Translated by Rose Chacko

This article is taken from our Arabic sister publication, Al-Araby Al Jadeed and mirrors the source's original editorial guidelines and reporting policies. Any requests for correction or comment will be forwarded to the original authors and editors

Have questions or comments? Email us at: info@alaraby.co.uk

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View original: https://www.newarab.com/features/uganda-welcomes-sudan-refugees-plot-land-and-residency

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