{"id":20085019,"date":"2024-05-12T12:02:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-12T10:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20085019"},"modified":"2024-05-12T15:18:25","modified_gmt":"2024-05-12T13:18:25","slug":"usaid-calls-on-sudan-junta-for-immediate-action-to-lift-impediments-to-humanitarian-aid-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/usaid-calls-on-sudan-junta-for-immediate-action-to-lift-impediments-to-humanitarian-aid-operations","title":{"rendered":"USAID calls on Sudan junta for \u2018immediate action to lift impediments to humanitarian aid operations\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, has urged the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to take \u201cimmediate action\u201d to open the border crossing from Adr\u00e9 in Chad, and lift current restrictions at other border crossings to ensure the effective, sustained delivery of lifesaving assistance to people in urgent need across Sudan\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a telephone call with Lt Gen Shamseldin Kabbashi, deputy commander of the SAF and member of the Sovereignty Council, Power cited \u201cSudan\u2019s long history of bureaucratic obstructionism of humanitarians,\u201d and urged Kabbashi and the SAF \u201cto take immediate and specific steps to lift impediments to humanitarian aid operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A briefing<\/a> by USAID spokesperson Jessica Jennings confirms that Power spoke to Kabbashi on Thursday, raised the looming famine in Sudan, and called for \u201cimmediate action by the SAF to open the Adr\u00e9 border crossing in eastern Chad and lift current restrictions at other border crossings to ensure the effective, sustained delivery of lifesaving assistance to people in urgent need across Sudan\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Power\u2019s appeal to Kabbashi follows up on similar communication in March<\/a> with the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and de facto President of Sudan, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Obstruction of humanitarian access is having devastating consequences for the Sudanese people\u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During Thursday\u2019s call, Power underlined to Kabbashi that \u201cobstruction of humanitarian access is having devastating consequences for the Sudanese people, five million of whom are at risk of starvation.\u201d She highlighted that \u201csince early April, 860,000 of the most vulnerable people have not received assistance\u201d. The USAID administrator noted Sudan\u2019s long history of bureaucratic obstructionism of humanitarians and urged Kabbashi and the SAF to take immediate and specific steps to lift impediments to humanitarian aid operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Escalations of hostilities in and around El Fasher threaten to exacerbate already dire conditions for vulnerable people in Darfur\u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Power also expressed serious concern about the recent escalations of hostilities in and around El Fasher, including attacks on civilians by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), \u201cthat threaten to exacerbate already dire conditions for vulnerable people in Darfur.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She emphasised that \u201cthe USA urges the leadership of the SAF and RSF to deescalate the situation in and around [the North Darfur capital of] El Fasher<\/a> and commit themselves to negotiations toward a cessation of hostilities and an end to this conflict and the immense suffering of the Sudanese people\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humanitarian response<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refugees from Darfur continue to flow into Chad<\/a>, while refugees from Iridimi, Alacha, Adr\u00e9, and Gaga camps report dire humanitarian conditions. More than 1,000 people reportedly cross the border into Adr\u00e9 on some days. 90 per cent of them say they left Sudan due to food insecurity, UN deputy humanitarian coordinator in Sudan reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has lauded a new pledge by the European Union<\/a> of \u20ac117 million for the humanitarian response in Sudan, as well as an additional EUR \u20ac185 million to respond to the impact of the crisis in neighbouring countries, as WFP works to scale up its operations to avert the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USA has called on all armed groups in Sudan to immediately stop attacks on the North Darfur capital. The US State Department<\/a> expressed its concern about indicators of an imminent attack by the RSF and affiliated gunmen on El Fasher via spokesperson Matthew Miller<\/a>, who said that any attack on El Fasher would expose civilians to severe danger, including hundreds of thousands of displaced people who have taken refuge there.<\/p>\n