{"id":20076552,"date":"2024-03-09T17:49:52","date_gmt":"2024-03-09T16:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20076552"},"modified":"2024-03-10T10:12:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-10T09:12:38","slug":"un-security-council-calls-for-an-immediate-ceasefire-in-sudan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/un-security-council-calls-for-an-immediate-ceasefire-in-sudan","title":{"rendered":"UN Security Council calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The UN Security Council (UNSC) yesterday called for an \u201cimmediate ceasefire\u201d in Sudan during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, as the situation in the country deteriorates, with millions of people threatened by severe hunger. M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF)<\/strong> <\/strong>urged \u201cunimpeded humanitarian access to all states, including across frontlines.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fourteen UNSC members supported a draft resolution<\/a> proposed by the United Kingdom, calling for \u201can immediate cessation of hostilities before Ramadan\u201d and asking \u201call parties to the conflict to search for a permanent solution through dialogue\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resolution also calls on both parties to the conflict \u201cto allow full, rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance, including across borders and across front lines\u201d and urges them to protect civilians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said that whether a ceasefire is reached or not, the delivery of humanitarian aid<\/a> must be improved. He denounced the “quite extraordinary problems of access<\/a>” and called on the warring parties to return to the negotiating table and reach a solution to their violent conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a ceasefire in Ramadan, starting tomorrow evening, is observed by both sides, “I can assure you we\u2019ll be piling in the aid and repositioning, repairing institutions, getting children out to safety and so forth,\u201d Griffiths told reporters in New York yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ongoing fighting that erupted on April 15 last year between the Sudanese army commanded by Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by Lt Gen Mohamed \u2018Hemedti\u2019 Dagalo has led to the deaths of thousands of Sudanese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 11 million people fled their homes<\/a>, which makes Sudan the largest displacement crisis in the world,  the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on February 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 25 million people in Sudan, more than 50 per cent of the population, are in dire need<\/a> of humanitarian assistance,\u201d UN experts reported in early February. They called for increased funding for civil society organisations to assist victims and for humanitarian response to provide life-saving assistance,\u201d they said, warning that the appeal was only 3.1 per cent funded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Clingendael Strategic Monitor, in a policy brief on February 8, warned of a very high ris<\/a>k<\/a> of famine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain said on Wednesday that 90 per cent of people facing emergency levels of hunger in Sudan are stuck in areas that are largely inaccessible<\/a> to the UN food agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following intense pressure, the de facto Sudanese government on Wednesday informed the UN that it will open border crossings from Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan, to allow the transport of humanitarian aid<\/a>. The authorities so far obstructed delivery of aid, especially via Chad, citing concerns that the routes could be used for arms supply to the RSF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reservations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While most of the UNSC members supported the call for a ceasefire during Ramadan that is expected to begin tomorrow evening. Some countries expressed reservations, in particular Russia, which abstained, and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva said that Moscow decided to allow this resolution to pass because it relates to the lives of the Sudanese. Russia rejects the idea that the council imposes its own rules and principles on sovereign states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her Chinese counterpart, Ambassador Dai Bing, urged an end to the fighting as soon as possible. China believes that the council\u2019s actions should be supportive of diplomacy and avoid exacerbating tensions, he commented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Port Sudan, which voiced opposition<\/a> to the delivery of humanitarian aid to Sudan across the border from Chad last week, on Friday set its conditions for a ceasefire: the RSF should withdraw from all areas they have taken control of since April 15 last year, return all public and private property the paramilitaries reportedly appropriated, and stop committing human rights violations, especially in Darfur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Humanitarian desert\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres appealed to \u201call parties in Sudan to respect the values \u200b\u200bof Ramadan by ceasing hostilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe cessation of hostilities must lead to the permanent silencing of weapons throughout the country and chart a firm path towards lasting peace for the Sudanese people,\u201d Guterres added in his address to the UNSC, warning of a humanitarian crisis of \u201cmassive proportions\u201d and a looming famine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a response on X<\/a> the following day, M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF) expressed its \u201cprofound disappointment\u201d with the UN secretary-general’s remarks, which refer to a partial solution at best for North Darfur but leave vast areas in Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and El Gezira still inaccessible and leave millions of lives at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medical aid organisation considers the reopening one border point from Chad to Sudan, at El Tina in North Darfur, insufficient. \u201cWithout access to all border crossings into all Darfur states, the crisis there persists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMSF reaffirms additional cross-border operations via Adr\u00e9 are also essential for reaching a population in dire need of medical and humanitarian assistance in West, South, Central and East Darfur.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The international organisation further noted \u201cthe critical need for safety guarantees before reopening some of Sudan’s airports for humanitarian access. Without agreement between all parties to the conflict, air routes remain unsafe to use and wouldn\u2019t improve humanitarian access.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to MSF, Darfur, Khartoum and El Gezira \u201cremain a humanitarian desert\u201d as the government of Sudan \u201ccontinues to systematically withhold authorisations for movements across frontlines. In many of these areas, MSF finds itself almost alone in delivering humanitarian medical assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MSF called on the UN leadership to demand parties to the conflict \u201censure unimpeded humanitarian access to all states, including across frontlines. This is the only way millions of people in need of assistance can be reached.\u201d<\/p>\n