{"id":20131300,"date":"2026-04-23T17:24:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T15:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20131300"},"modified":"2026-04-23T18:34:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T16:34:15","slug":"op-ed-sudan-cannot-wait","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/op-ed-sudan-cannot-wait","title":{"rendered":"Op-ed:\u00a0Sudan Cannot Wait!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Marina Peter – Chair of the Sudan and South Sudan Forum e.V.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marina Peter is Chair of the Sudan and South Sudan Forum e. V., where she has long been engaged in supporting dialogue, advocacy, and civil society engagement related to Sudan and South Sudan. She has worked closely with partners in the region to promote peace, human rights, and inclusive political processes (Photo: RD)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Sudanese cannot wait for another conference. People in the Kordofans are under siege as they were in El Fasher last year. No crocodile tears ever again but robust action NOW.<\/strong> A brief reflection on a week in Berlin full of Sudan events by Marina Peter, Sudan and South Sudan Forum, April 18, 2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All eyes on the third anniversary of the nationwide war in Sudan on 15 April 2026, the Sudan Humanitarian Conference in Berlin and accompanying side events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Really? Of course not. But at least after the terrible war crime massacres in El Fasher\/Darfur last November, five months later there was again some more media and other attention on the world\u2019s biggest humanitarian catastrophe, despite the new war in Iran, and the latest totally irresponsible, inhumane political announcement from the US usually dominating international news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This must be regarded as a success, as so many Sudanese still, and rightly so, feel they are forgotten in their tremendous suffering, mourning their murdered loved ones, being raped, bombed, displaced, denied humanitarian aid and desperately waiting for at least one meal and medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will they be protected and their basic needs regarded right now, after the Conference in Berlin? It is appropriate to cast doubt, despite the 1.5 billion USD pledged there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 First, experience shows that pledges are easily made, but many later forget to actually transfer them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Secondly, even the amounts pledged will take time to enter the accounts, let alone reach organisations on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Thirdly, all warring parties systematically continue to deny humanitarian access, and where they allow it, they make it bureaucratically extremely difficult and costly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Fourthly, and most importantly, it must be noted that a few of those Sudanese groups on the ground have been able to save lives over the last three years in the most creative ways and have proven that they can meet international standards of accountability. They were present at the conference. BUT: besides two, none of the more than 70 representatives of countries and organisations referred to the discussion paper officially shared by the co-host on strengthening local actors and allocating funds directly to them. Emergency Response Rooms demand 15 per cent of all pledges be directed to those who can really help in this terrible situation but nobody commented on this demand, let alone addressed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudanese civil society groups clearly express their strong desire for a ceasefire and peace. They demand their voices be at the centre of all meetings and negotiations. Women and youth demand full inclusion, rightly so. They also demand protection and accountability for all crimes committed in the ongoing war. All this was expressed in many ways during side events in the Berlin week. Hosted by the so-called Quintet of the EU, AU, League of Arab States, IGAD and the UN, forty representatives of civil groups met in an official side event. They were able to produce a joint statement, for the sake of peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was another success, especially as, unlike the third part of the conference, the Ministerial meeting, they were able to agree on something despite severe political differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But again, questions need to be raised: those who attended the meeting were handpicked and the criteria used were not shared. This casts doubt among those who feel excluded and unrepresented. For the sake of peace, much more transparency and inclusion in all these processes is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the last part of the conference, the Ministerial meeting. Out of desperation, Sudanese on the ground, as well as many others, had high hopes for this, despite all the expectation management by the co-hosts prior to the conference. Like in London last year, ministers from around the world were not able to agree on a joint statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would a joint ministerial statement have helped, signed also by those delivering arms, drones and other support, yet calling for stopping arms trade, as in Paris two years ago? Maybe not, but it would have sent a signal. At least the co-hosts released one, which is worthwhile to read, and especially to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudanese and all others who care for the Sudanese people do not want more words, but action. Volker T\u00fcrk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, echoed in the humanitarian conference what he has said several times before: the international community has failed Sudan. The State Minister in the German Foreign Office, Serap G\u00fcler, is very committed to Sudan, there is no doubt. She expressed that she feels a real responsibility to step up efforts for humanitarian aid and contribute to peace after the conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Germany and internationally, this must go along with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Pressuring warring parties and all those supporting them from outside, without exception
\u2022 Finding ways to protect civilians by all means, wherever they are
\u2022 Supporting local actors directly, including 15 per cent direct funding
\u2022 Agreeing on a nationwide arms embargo
\u2022 Not allowing the UAE any longer to speak in public about the tremendous humanitarian suffering, largely caused by arms they have delivered, as seen again at the conference
\u2022 Not remaining silent about Egypt killing, arresting and deporting Sudanese under their care
\u2022 Holding war criminals accountable in tribunals from now on
\u2022 Stopping all illegal blood gold trade, which fills the pockets of warlords, and following up on accusations that foreign companies buy this gold, such as Volkswagen in recent research, and freezing accounts accordingly
\u2022 Putting Sudanese voices at the centre of everything and supporting all ways for them to meet and discuss<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudanese cannot wait for another conference. People in the Kordofans are under siege as they were in El Fasher last year. No crocodile tears ever again but robust action NOW.<\/p>\n