US freezes nearly all foreign assistance worldwide. UK announces £20M in additional funding to Sudan

SUDAN must not be forgotten said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

"Refugees fleeing war-torn Sudan will receive further UK support to increase food production and lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services, as Foreign Secretary announces £20 million in additional funding while visiting the Adré on the Chad-Sudan border.

This builds on the doubling of UK aid in November to address the humanitarian emergency in Sudan to £226.5 million. These UK funds are providing emergency food assistance to nearly 800,000 displaced people, of whom over 88% are women and children, as well as improving access to shelter, drinking water, emergency health care and education.

Meanwhile, US freezes nearly all foreign assistance worldwide, effective immediately, days after President Donald J Trump issued a sweeping executive order Monday to put a hold on such aid for 90 days. The new orders specifically exempted emergency food programs, such as those helping to feed millions in a widening famine in warring Sudan.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 

“Sudanese people are facing violence on an unimaginable scale. This is the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world.

“Millions have already fled their homes – in the face of a struggle for power that has led to abhorrent atrocities against civilians and famine on an unconscionable scale. 

“The international community must wake up and act urgently to avoid this horrific death toll escalating further in the coming months, driving instability and irregular migration into Europe and the UK. Under this government’s Plan for Change, we are addressing upstream drivers of migration to secure UK borders.

“The UK will not let Sudan be forgotten. To do so would be unforgivable.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy meets Sudanese refugees in the border town of Adré, Chad. Crown copyright.

Meanwhile, the US has frozen nearly all foreign assistance worldwide, effective immediately, days after President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order Monday to put a hold on such aid for 90 days. 

It is the policy of United States that no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States. Exempted are emergency food programs, such as those helping to feed millions in a widening famine in warring Sudan.

Full story:

UK Gov Press Release from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon David Lammy MP 25 January 2025 “Sudan must not be forgotten - David Lammy announces political and humanitarian action to address "catastrophe" in Sudan

 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sudan-must-not-be-forgotten-david-lammy-announces-political-and-humanitarian-action-to-address-catastrophe-in-sudan

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UK Gov Press Release from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon David Lammy MP  25 January 2025 - “Sudan must not be forgotten" UK Foreign Secretary announces £20 million in additional funding while visiting the Adré on the Chad-Sudan border.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sudan-must-not-be-forgotten-david-lammy-announces-political-and-humanitarian-action-to-address-catastrophe-in-sudan

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US Gov Executive Order from The White House 20 January 2025 - REEVALUATING AND REALIGNING UNITED STATES FOREIGN AID

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/reevaluating-and-realigning-united-states-foreign-aid/

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Associated Press report 25 January 2025 - "The US State Department ordered a sweeping freeze Friday on new funding for almost all US foreign assistance, making exceptions for emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s order, delivered in a cable sent to US embassies worldwide, specifically exempted emergency food programs, such as those helping to feed millions in a widening famine in warring Sudan."

https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa

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Sudan: Brutal, targeted attacks on civilians must stop

"HUMANITARIAN organizations can no longer tolerate being prevented from responding to the immense needs in Sudan. International humanitarian law requires all parties to facilitate humanitarian operations. The people of Sudan have suffered enough. The time has come to guarantee a neutral, impartial humanitarian environment, and to provide aid that will truly meet people’s needs. History has shown that if belligerents comply with the laws of war, there is more hope of peace and reconciliation". Read more.

News Release from The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Dated Tuesday, 21 November 2023 SUDAN - here is a copy in full:

Sudan: Brutal, targeted attacks on civilians must stop

Patrick Youssef is regional director for Africa at the International Committee of the Red Cross. He has just returned from Sudan, where he met representatives of the government and of the Rapid Support Forces. As the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, he is sounding the alarm

Despair and violence have taken over in Sudan. Recent discussions in Jeddah have not resulted in a ceasefire – quite the opposite. Military activity is increasing in many parts of the country. A devastating humanitarian crisis is developing right in front of our eyes.

Weapons bring power. But that power imposes a responsibility on the warring parties – indeed, an obligation – to respect and protect the civilian population, as required by international humanitarian law.

This war has resulted in countless deaths and forced almost seven million people to flee the fighting. ICRC and Sudanese Red Crescent teams receive daily calls for help. Families are asking us to help them evacuate the sick, the wounded or members of their families, because they fear they will be arrested if they move on their own. Some report that members of their families have disappeared. Others describe desperate shortages of food and water. The price of a standard food basket has risen by 60% since April 2023, leaving some 20 million people facing acute food insecurity.

In Darfur, western Sudan, fighting has reached critical levels, affecting the populated areas of the main towns: Al Jeneina, Zalingei and Nyala. Military operations are seriously affecting the functioning of hospitals and depriving people of electricity and telecommunications.

Despite the dangers, we are making every effort to ensure that no-one is abandoned in the areas where we are operating. This week, we sent a surgical team and medical supplies to Al Jeneina University Hospital, where war-wounded patients are in urgent need of treatment.

We are constantly reminding all parties that they must allow the sick and injured to obtain medical care. In particular, this means refraining from harming people who are not participating in the fighting and allowing enemy wounded to receive treatment.

Today, at the request of the parties to the conflict, we have returned over 60 prisoners to their families in Nyala, southern Darfur. We are grateful that we could help reunite those families after months of separation. All these operations underline the importance of the ICRC’s neutrality and of its ability to work with all parties.

But the response is still very limited. Humanitarian organizations can no longer tolerate being prevented from responding to the immense needs in Sudan. International humanitarian law requires all parties to facilitate humanitarian operations. 

Simplifying the administrative formalities would be a first step towards this. We therefore reiterate our appeal to all sides, to take concrete, practical steps in line with the commitments they made during the talks in Jeddah.

The people of Sudan have suffered enough. The time has come to guarantee a neutral, impartial humanitarian environment, and to provide aid that will truly meet people’s needs. History has shown that if belligerents comply with the laws of war, there is more hope of peace and reconciliation.

About the ICRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.

 

For more information, please contact:

Germain Mwehu, ICRC Wad Madani, +249 912 150 735, gemwehu@icrc.org

Florian Seriex, ICRC Nairobi, +254 110 938 077, fseriex@icrc.org

Halimatou Amadou, ICRC Geneva, +41 79 868 55 83, hamadou@icrc.org

View original: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/sudan-brutal-targeted-attacks-on-civilians-must-stop

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Sudan: ASG for Africa briefs UNSC on deadly spiral of violence. UNSG appoints Martin to review UNITAMS

THE UN Secretary-General has appointed Ian Martin – a seasoned UN negotiator, who led missions in Libya, Nepal, Timor Leste as well as Ethiopia and Eritrea – to lead a strategic review of UNITAMS to provide the Security Council with options on how to adapt its mandate to fit the wartime conditions. Note that the UK is the penholder on Sudan and in November China holds the presidency of the Security Council. Read more.

From United Nations News - un.org/en
Dated Thursday, 16 November 2023 - here is a copy in full:

Sudan: Deadly spiral of violence continues between military rivals

© UNICEF/Zehbrauskas A child stands with water collected from an IDP camp in Nyala, Darfur. (file)

The war between rival militaries in Sudan, which has been raging for over seven months has further intensified in recent weeks, particularly in the volatile Darfur region, a senior UN official said on Thursday.

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, informed ambassadors on the Security Council that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have gained territory, pushing the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) out of several of its bases in the region since late October.

The RSF seems poised to advance on El Fasher in north Darfur, a major town and the last SAF holdout in the region, according to media reports.

“An RSF attack on El Fasher or its surrounding areas could result in high numbers of civilian casualties, due to the large number of internally displaced persons located there,” Ms. Pobee said.

She informed Council members that some armed groups in the region, which had so far been neutral in the conflict, have allied with the SAF.

Outside of Darfur, clashes continue in Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri, with the main fighting taking place around SAF strongholds. Hostilities are also spreading into new areas, including Gezira, White Nile and West Kordofan states, Ms. Pobee added.

Humanitarian calamity

The conflict has caused a severe humanitarian crisis and increasing human rights violations in Sudan, resulting in the deaths of over 6,000 civilians, including women and children, since April.

Across the country, over 7.1 million people have been driven from their homes, including hundreds of thousands into neighbouring countries.

Despite difficulties in access, attacks on aid workers, and bureaucratic hurdles, the UN and partners have delivered life-saving aid to 4.1 million people, which is only 22 percent of the targeted assistance for 2023.

“Civilians continue to face serious violations of human rights, including sexual and gender-based violence,” she said, noting that testimonies collected by the UN mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) pointed to RSF personnel or men in RSF uniforms as alleged perpetrators.

Adapting the mission

Ms. Pobee further said that the Secretary-General has appointed Ian Martin – a seasoned UN negotiator, who led missions in Libya, Nepal, Timor Leste as well as Ethiopia and Eritrea – to lead a strategic review of UNITAMS to provide the Security Council with options on how to adapt its mandate to fit the wartime conditions.

“Mr. Martin will hold extensive consultations with key stakeholders including Sudanese authorities, civil society, regional and sub-regional organizations, Member States and relevant entities within the UN system,” she added.

Fighting is futile

In conclusion, Ms. Pobee emphasized that it is crucial for the SAF and RSF to “recognize the futility of continued fighting and prioritize dialogue and deescalation.”

She emphasized that Sudan’s situation should remain a global concern, urging the international community to renew its commitment to coordinated peace efforts led by the region.

View original: https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/11/1143687

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Pope appeals for humanitarian aid for people in Sudan

“I am close to the sufferings of those dear populations of Sudan, and I address a heartfelt appeal to local leaders to facilitate access to humanitarian aid and, with the contribution of the international community, to work in search of peaceful solutions. Let us not forget these brothers and sisters of ours who are in distress!” -Pope Francis. Read more.

From Vatican News - https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html

By Vatican News

Dated Sunday, 12 November 2023 - here is a copy in full:

Pope appeals for humanitarian aid for people in war-torn Sudan

Pope Francis makes a heartfelt appeal to leaders in Sudan to facilitate access to humanitarian aid for the suffering people, and to work toward a peaceful resolution to the civil war with the help of the international community.

Fleeing Sudanese seek refuge in Chad  (ZOHRA BENSEMRA)

Pope Francis has called attention to the serious humanitarian crisis in Sudan caused by the ongoing civil war, that shows no signs of abating. 

Speaking at the conclusion of Sunday's Angelus, the Pope decried the many victims, including millions of internally displaced persons and refugees in neighbouring countries.

“I am close to the sufferings of those dear populations of Sudan, and I address a heartfelt appeal to local leaders to facilitate access to humanitarian aid and, with the contribution of the international community, to work in search of peaceful solutions. Let us not forget these brothers and sisters of ours who are in distress!”

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reports that the civil war in Sudan has driven close to six million people from their homes since the fighting started in April 2023. UNHCR's Dominique Hyde, Director of External Relations, recently visited the country and warned of a surge in human suffering, stating, “away from the eyes of the world and the news headlines, the conflict in Sudan continues to rage. Across the country, an unimaginable humanitarian crisis is unfolding, as more and more people are displaced by the relentless fighting.”

View original: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-11/pope-appeals-for-humanitarian-aid-for-people-in-war-torn-sudan.html

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Israel says ground operations expanding as it intensifies Gaza bombing. Gaza can't be contacted

Communications go down in Gaza, leaving residents uncontactable. Hamas says clashes are taking place in northern areas. (Photo/caption from BBC)

Summary

• Israel says its ground forces are "expanding operations" targeting Hamas in Gaza
• Huge explosions were seen in the territory, with Israeli warplanes carrying out heavy strikes
• Hamas says clashes have taken place in northern Gaza - reports say some Israeli troops and tanks have entered
• Earlier, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman told Gaza City residents to move south for their safety
• Communication networks went down around the same time, meaning residents in Gaza can't be contacted
• The UN General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce, with 120 states voting for a resolution put forward by Jordan
• Israel has been bombing Gaza since the 7 October Hamas attacks that killed 1,400 people and saw 229 people kidnapped as hostages
• The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says 7,000 people have been killed since Israel's retaliatory bombing began

Source: BBC News Live Reporting Sat, 28 Oct 2023 00:50 BST. Read latest:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67246761

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UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate and sustained ‘humanitarian truce’

THE United Nations General Assembly on Friday (27 Oct) adopted a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza. It also demands “continuous, sufficient and unhindered” provision of lifesaving supplies and services for civilians trapped inside the enclave, as news reports suggest Israel has expanded ground operations and intensified its bombing campaign. Read more: https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142847

UN Photo/Evan Schneider Members of the United Nations General Assembly vote on a resolution at the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session meeting on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

BREAKING: UN General Assembly ADOPTS resolution on “protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” on the ongoing Gaza crisis

FOR: 120
AGAINST: 14
ABSTAIN: 45

LIVE COVERAGE https://t.co/MOnKoTdNsb pic.twitter.com/WG68GaxMMV

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) October 27, 2023 

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UN chief António Guterres: Sudan has descended into "death and destruction" at an unprecedented speed

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.

Read more on this story:

Sudan conflict: What to do with the dead bodies in Khartoum

View original and sharing tools here. 

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