EU: Sudan war ‘destroying lives’ as bloc urges ceasefire and end to violations

The Council of the European Union has warned that the war in Sudan continues to devastate civilians, three years after the conflict began between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

In a statement published on Tuesday, the EU said the conflict is “destroying lives and depriving the population of its aspirations of the 2018/19 revolution”.

The bloc reaffirmed its support for Sudan’s unity, stating it “strongly rejects any unilateral attempt to establish parallel governance that could risk the partition of the country”.

It renewed its call for an end to the fighting, urging all parties to engage in “negotiations towards an immediate and lasting ceasefire”, and said it “stands ready to back any credible, unified peace initiative”. The EU also stressed that “external actors must stop fuelling the war”.

The statement warned that the humanitarian crisis is worsening, saying “civilians are targeted, famine conditions persist, and displacement continues to destabilise communities and the region”.

It added that “attacks on civilians, healthcare, aid workers, humanitarian convoys and civilian infrastructure must stop”, and that obstruction of aid “may constitute war crimes”.

The EU highlighted ongoing abuses, stating that “grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law continue” and insisting that “impunity must end”. It also pointed to “systematic conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence… on a horrifying scale, with rape being used as a weapon of war”.

At a conference in Berlin on 15 April, donors pledged €1.5 billion in aid, including €812 million from the EU and its member states.

Reaffirming support for a civilian-led transition, the EU said “only an independent and representative civilian process can restore legitimacy of the Sudanese state”.

“It is long overdue to bring this devastating conflict to an end,” the statement added.