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Sudan crisis: Ruto calls for humanitarian aid as fighting bites

"The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached catastrophic levels."

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by SHARON MWENDE

News01 May 2023 - 15:53

In Summary


  • • The meeting resolved that it is imperative to find ways to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Sudan "with or without a ceasefire".
  • • The raging fighting in Sudan has left more than 500 people dead and tens of thousands others have fled the country.
Unrest in Sudan.

President William Ruto on Monday held a virtual meeting with heads of United Nations agencies over the worsening crisis in Sudan.

The meeting was also attended by other partners to mount a response to the crisis sparked by differences on the return of the country to civilian rule. 

The meeting resolved that it is imperative to find ways to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Sudan "with or without a ceasefire".

"The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached catastrophic levels. The protagonists have declined to heed the calls by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, the African Union and the international community to cease fire," Ruto said. 

"Consequently, water, food and medicines are in short supply. Internally, the number of displaced people keeps rising as many more flee to neighboring countries."

The meeting was attended by UN Deputy secretary general, Amina Mohamed, African Union Commission chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and former Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdallah Hamdok.

Others were the UN Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and Daniel O’Malley from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The raging fighting in Sudan has left more than 500 people dead and tens of thousands others have fled the country.

The call for ceasefire between the disagreeing generals has not held, with airstrikes reported in the capital Khartoum on Monday.

Army commander Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF chief, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, popularly known as Hemedti, have disagreed in particular on plans to include the RSF into the army prior to the return of the country to civilian rule.

The two Generals have been jointly running the transition government since former strongman Omar al-Bashir was deposed in a military in 2019.

On Thursday, they agreed to a humanitarian truce after intensive diplomatic efforts by neighbouring countries, the US, the UK and the UN.

The ceasefire was extended but it failed to hold after both sides resumed fighting. 

Millions of people remain trapped in the capital Khartoum amid biting food, water and fuel shortage.

Violence is also reported to have been particularly bad in El Geneina, a city in Darfur in western Sudan, with claims that militia groups have looted and torched markets.

President William Ruto has been at the forefront calling for ceasefire and long-term solution to the crisis and the immediate aid supply to citizens to alleviate suffering as warring factions seek permanent truce. 


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