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31 May 2023
UN humanitarians complete first food distribution in Khartoum as hunger, threats to children, intensify
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26 May 2023
Sudan: UN and partners scramble to supply aid amid fragile ceasefire
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05 May 2023
UN and partners launch $445 million plan to ease Sudan crisis
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Sudan
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Sudan:
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25 April 2023
UN pledges to ‘stand with and work for the Sudanese people’
The UN Secretary-General on Monday welcomed the temporary relocation of hundreds of staff members and their families from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, amid the continuing intense fighting between rival military factions which has now entered its second week.
Speaking in the UN Security Council, António Guterres said: “Let me be clear: the United Nations is not leaving Sudan. Our commitment is to the Sudanese people, in support of their wishes for a peaceful and secure future. We stand with them, at this terrible time.”
In blunt terms, he said the violence must stop, now. "It risks a catastrophic conflagration within Sudan, that could engulf the whole region and beyond."
In a statement issued earlier by his Spokesperson, António Guterres said the relocation exercise had been carried out “without incident”, adding that he appreciated the cooperation shown by Sudanese army personnel and paramilitaries from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), allowing safe passage to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea.
“The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the parties to immediately cease hostilities and allow all civilians to evacuate from areas affected by the fighting.”
Mr. Guterres affirmed “the continued dedication” of the whole UN system, “to stand with, and work for, the Sudanese people, in support of their wishes for a peaceful, secure future and a return to the democratic transition.”
The warring factions had worked together since the ousting of long-term ruler Omar al-Bashir, four years ago, carrying out a military coup in a joint operation in 2021 which ended a military-civilian power sharing agreement. In recent months as negotiations over a return to civilian rule advanced, the two factions failed to agree an integration plan, on the road to the formation of a civilian government.
'Exert maximum leverage'
Addressing ambassadors in the Security Council during a general debate on the importance of multilateralism, Mr. Guterres condemned the “indiscriminate” bombing of civilian areas and facilities, calling on members “to exert maximum leverage with the parties to end the violence, restore order, and return to the path of the democratic transition.”
He said he was in “constant contact” with military leaders in Khartoum and has called on them to return to the negotiating table.
“Civilians must be able to access food, water and other essential supplies, and evacuate from combat zones”, he said.
Death toll
In its latest update, the UN humanitarian coordination office OCHA, reported that after nine days of fighting at least 427 people have been killed and more than 3,700 injured.
At least 11 health facilities have been attacked and many are no longer functioning at all in Khartoum and Darfur states.
Relocation and evacuation plan
In a statement issued by the UN Assistance Mission for the transition to civilian rule, UNITAMS, the Special Representative Volker Perthes, said that the relocated staff would be evacuated from Sudan, to neighbouring countries, “where they will work remotely, as a measure to minimize risks to their safety while continuing to provide assistance to the Sudanese people.”
About 700 UN, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), and embassy staff and their families, have arrived in Port Sudan by road, he continued.
“Also, 43 internationally recruited UN staff and 29 INGO staff have already been evacuated from El Geneina (West Darfur) and Zalingei (Central Darfur) to Chad, while other operations are ongoing or planned.
‘Necessary measures’ to protect Sudanese workers
Mr. Perthes said he and a small number of other internationally recruited staff, would remain in Sudan “and continue to work towards resolving the current crisis”.
He said the UN was “taking the necessary measures to protect Sudanese employees and their families and is looking into all possible ways to support them.”
"We are committed to staying in Sudan and supporting the Sudanese people in every way we can. We will do everything we can to save lives while protecting the safety of our people."
Press Conference: The Humanitarian Situation in Sudan (20 April 2023)
This article first appeared in UN News.
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Story
03 October 2022
UN-Habitat, UNHCR and partners launch the Peace Building Fund project on “Peacebuilding and Human Rights in Support of Durable Solutions for IDPs and Affected Communities: The Right to Adequate Housing in West Darfur”
West Darfur - UN-Habitat together with its partners UNHCR and the UN Peacebuilding Fund Secretariat (PBF) have launched the project: “Peacebuilding and Human Rights in Support of Durable Solutions for IDPs and Affected Communities: The Right to Adequate Housing in West Darfur”. The launch workshop, held at the University of El-Genaina Conference Hall, West Darfur, was attended by 58 participants, representing the State Ministry of Infrastructure and Urban Development, Nomads Commission, Voluntary Return Reintegration Commission, native administration, Land Registration authorities, HAC, local authorities, and local community representatives including internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The Right to Adequate Housing project will make a direct contribution to peacebuilding efforts through addressing key issues impeding the realization of human rights in West Darfur, which in turn contribute to the perpetuation of intercommunal violence and further inhibit the achievement of durable solutions.
The project will support the peaceful returns and resettlements of the IDPs in three key localities through the provision of resettlement spatial plans, creation of viable options and guiding principles for the voluntary and sustainable return, local integration, and/or relocation of IDPs. The project will enhance of access to effective mechanisms that clarify housing, land and property (HLP) rights in compliance with relevant international human rights standards, as well as support access to civil documentation. It will also contribute to self-reliance of IDPs, returnees, nomads, and non-displaced communities, particularly male and female youth, through capacity development on self-help reconstruction using an environmentally sensitive and affordable building materials (Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks: ISSB), which will inform the national and state housing policy framework. The project will also work to enhance social cohesion among different communities in support of durable solutions.
Mr. Ulan Shabynov, PBF Programme Coordinator, opened the workshop. He highlighted PBF focus areas for sustainable peace in Sudan with emphasis on Darfur, and the importance of the project to promote durable solutions and coexistence for IDPs and affected communities.
Mr. Abdulrahman Mustafa, a representative from UN-Habitat, in his opening remarks outlined UN-Habitat’s work in addressing the issue of conflict-induced recurrent displacement in Darfur, security of tenure, access to effective mechanisms that clarify HLP rights in compliance with international human rights standards, and capacity development on self-help reconstruction using ISSB.
Ms. Jacqueline Parlevliet, Representative of UNHCR, mentioned their roles and deep concerns around providing returnees protection and supporting access to obtaining proper civil documentation. Moreover Mr. Mohamed Habib, Assistant Protection Officer, provided an overview of the intended activities.
Mr. Younis Ishag, Directorate General, Ministry of Infrastructure and Urban Development, appreciated the long partnership between the Ministry and UN-Habitat in terms of capacity building of technical staff at state and locality level, and the provision of survey equipment during the previous years. He said, “The capacity development packages enhanced the performance of the institution to achieve tasks beyond expectations”.
Dr. Alawia Mukhtar, Women Representative of CBOs in West Darfur, mentioned that “the condition of gathering sites is tragic. We are asking the international community for rapid response to the basic needs of IDPs in 94 gathering locations, addressing issues of transitional justice and protection of civilians in West Darfur State.”
In three years, the project is intended to serve as a pilot to demonstrate an alternative way of addressing Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights in support of voluntary and sustainable return, local integration, and/or relocation of IDPs.
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03 August 2022
From seeds to life - my visit to South Darfur
While looking across fields of abundance and imminent harvest, it is important to remember that they grew from tiny seeds that were planted and nurtured by their planters and rain, and, in South Darfur, protected from destruction to allow them to grow.
Having visited South Darfur together with UN senior officials on 1 August, the importance of the harvest cannot be understated. People’s livelihoods depend on agriculture and livestock production, with the main crops cultivated including sorghum, millet, groundnut, sesame and hibiscus. However, the combined effects of crises from the economic downturn, climate change (including erratic rains last year) and conflict are significantly affecting people’s access to food in Sudan: 22 per cent of the population in the state face food insecurity.
To counter this, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) received 12 million in funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support local food production in 14 states across Sudan, including in South Darfur, where 110,000 people are receiving support. This includes quality sorghum seeds to improve household grain production and strengthen resilience around food security and nutrition.
During my visit to South Darfur, I was able to see the distribution of seeds and talk to the communities that had received and planted them. I was also able to see the work being carried out by other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations to reduce the population’s vulnerability to food insecurity.
The community leaders with whom I spoke were very grateful for the seeds and the support they had received – they are expecting a good harvest – but they also uniformly told me that their main need now is for the protection of their crops. They also communicated that they would like even earlier support as well as crop-related equipment and maintenance.
I was particularly pleased to speak to women representatives about the importance of securing crops and their protection, who spoke of the need for training and capacity building for women in professions like agriculture.
A key challenge is tensions between farmers and herders regarding the use of grazing land. They need to share. In previous years - due mainly to climatic reasons - herders have moved earlier in the year from north to south in Darfur, which has caused disruptions to farming. This is why it is so important that Crop Protection Committees function across Darfur, where the different community representatives - including women - can discuss and agree on ways forward that are mutually beneficial to herders and farmers.
One step in the right direction has been the initial demarcation of migratory routes by the authorities in South Darfur, which allows farmers and herders to know where herders’ cattle will be grazed. However, more still needs to be done. Protection is key, especially for women who are exposed to the risk of Sexual and Gender Based Violence when going to their farms.
I was glad to be able to witness the transformational impact of the support provided by UN and humanitarian organizations, and I would like to thank our generous CERF donors for their vital contributions.
The seeds that were given to communities in South Darfur through humanitarian funds have the power to change the lives of tens of thousands, so never underestimate the power of planting a seed.
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Press Release
16 July 2022
UNHCR and WHO join hands to improve access to health for refugees in Sudan
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and WHO, the World Health Organization, signed a Letter of Understanding on 06 July 2022 to enhance health services for refugees and host communities in Sudan. Building on a 2020 Global Memorandum of Understanding, the agreement enacts the two agencies’ first national comprehensive partnership beyond emergency responses.
Sudan’s health system is buckling under several recurrent crises, with the current situation further exacerbating health and nutrition conditions for refugees and the communities which host them. Areas where refugees live often have limited health infrastructure and suffer shortages of medical personnel and supplies.
“We are glad to make official our continuing collaboration at a time when multiple emergencies and the ongoing economic crisis are undermining a fragile health system,” said Dr. Ni’ma Saeed Abid, WHO representative in Sudan. “The Sudanese health system will also benefit from the know-how and from our renewed joint efforts towards health for all,” Abid added.
The UN agencies will also strengthen their advocacy to Sudan’s government on key health issues affecting refugees, such as their full access to national health services.
“Health is a fundamental right for everyone. This agreement will help us support refugees access vital health services in the country,” said Axel Bisschop, UNHCR’s Representative in Sudan. “Increasing access to healthcare for forcibly displaced populations is one of the pledges Sudan made at the Global Refugee Forum in 2019. Therefore, this agreement is a good opportunity for UNHCR to continue its support to Sudan in meeting their commitments,” Bisschop added.
Among the main joint achievements in 2022, UNHCR and WHO supported early warning systems to detect potential disease outbreaks in a timely manner, in order to effect swift action and avoid further spread. The agencies continue to provide medicines and medical supplies to primary health facilities in refugee locations across the country, with about 32 such facilities also accessible by local populations.
The new partnership defines UNHCR and WHO roles and strategic areas of collaboration, maximizing coordination — including with national authorities — and optimising resources when responding to refugee influxes and other emergencies affecting both refugees and Sudanese.
Sudan hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa. As of 31 May 2022, over 1.1 million refugees are hosted in the country, mainly from South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic.
END
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Salim Mohamednour, WHO/Khartoum, mohamednours@who.int
Giulia Raffaelli, UNHCR/Khartoum, Mob: +249 91 216 7016 raffaelg@unhcr.org
Faith Kasina, UNHCR/Nairobi, Mob: +254 113 427 094 kasina@unhcr.org
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01 June 2022
FAO scales up response to soaring acute food insecurity exacerbated by potential impacts of the war in Ukraine
Rome – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is intensifying efforts to address soaring acute food insecurity in the Sudan which is driven by the combined impacts of armed conflict, drought, COVID-19, low production of key staple crops related to infestation by pests and diseases, and economic turmoil.
According to the FAO Humanitarian Response Plan 2022 for the Sudan, 10.9 million people or 30 percent of Sudanese are expected to need life‑sustaining support in 2022, the highest number in the past decade.
In response to the dire food security situation - a situation which risks being further exacerbated by the cascading effects of the Ukraine conflict, FAO has launched a new project funded by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which aims to restore the food security and nutrition of affected farming and pastoral communities in the Sudan through provision of emergency agriculture and livestock supplies.
This vital $12 million contribution from CERF - the largest single allocation to FAO by CERF to date - will support urgent efforts to build the resilience of resource-poor farmers and pastoralists in the Sudan’s 14 most severely affected counties.
“This generous contribution from CERF means that FAO can urgently provide essential agricultural inputs to vulnerable farming households before the main agriculture season starts in June. It will ensure that they can produce enough food to meet their needs for the months to come,” said Babagana Ahmadu, FAO Representative to the Sudan.
Responding to crises and building resilience
The project will target 180 000 households or 900 000 people among the most vulnerable farming and pastoralist communities including internally displaced people, returnees, refugees and resident households. With two‑thirds of the population living in the Sudan’s rural areas, providing smallholder farmers with agricultural support is essential to the humanitarian response.
The project covers both agricultural and livestock assistance, which aims at rapidly reducing dependence on emergency food assistance and provides a basis for medium- and longer-term recovery. This assistance includes the provision of certified crop, legume and vegetable seeds, donkey ploughs and hand tools, veterinary vaccines and drugs, animal protein-rich concentrate feed, and mineral licks; as well as donkey carts and productive animals. It also includes provision of cash and the rehabilitation of community productive assets such as small-scale water infrastructure, hafirs, pasture and other.
The situation looks grim for millions as the war in Ukraine is causing further spikes in food prices, as the Sudan is dependent on wheat imports from the Black Sea region. Interruption to the flow of grain into the Sudan will increase prices and make it more difficult to import wheat. Currently, local prices of wheat are at over $550 per tonne – an increase of 180 percent compared with the same period in 2021.
Furthermore, the current high prices for fertilizers on global markets will inevitably weigh in Sudan’s ability to import, potentially jeopardising the country’s ongoing and upcoming crops.
For these reasons, this CERF allocation is timely and vital. In addition, FAO urgently needs another $35 million to ensure adequate support for two million vulnerable farming and pastoral households to produce their own food, keep their livestock alive and productive, strengthening their resilience.
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31 May 2023
UN humanitarians complete first food distribution in Khartoum as hunger, threats to children, intensify
For the first time since fighting broke out in Sudan on 15 April, humanitarians have been able to reach desperate families trapped in the conflict’s epicentre, Khartoum, with food assistance, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.
WFP’s Country Director in Sudan, Eddie Rowe, told reporters in Geneva that in a major breakthrough, the agency distributed food assistance to 15,000 people in both Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) controlled areas of Omdurman, part of the Khartoum metropolitan area, beginning on Saturday.
Speaking from Port Sudan, Mr. Rowe highlighted other recent food distributions, in Wadi Halfa in Northern State to reach 8,000 people fleeing Khartoum and on their way to Egypt, as well as to 4,000 newly displaced people in Port Sudan.
Rapidly scaling up support
In total, WFP has been able to reach 725,000 people across 13 states in the country since it resumed its operations on 3 May, following a pause brought on by the killing of three aid workers at the start of the conflict.
Mr. Rowe said that WFP was rapidly scaling up its support, which they expected to expand depending on progress in negotiations for humanitarian access for all regions, including the Darfurs and Kordofans, strongly impacted by violence and displacement.
Hunger on the rise
In addition to the 16 million Sudanese who were already finding it “very difficult to afford a meal a day” before the fighting started, Mr. Rowe warned that the conflict compounded by the upcoming hunger season, could increase the food insecure population by about 2.5 million people in the coming months.
With the lean season fast approaching, WFP’s plan was to reach 5.9 million people across Sudan over the next six months, he said.
He stressed that WFP needed a total of $730 million to provide required assistance as well as telecommunications and logistics services to the humanitarian community, including all of the UN agencies operating in Sudan.
17,000 tonnes of food lost to looting
He also reiterated the humanitarian community’s call on all parties to the conflict to enable the safe delivery of urgently needed food aid, and deplored that so far, WFP had lost about 17,000 metric tonnes of food to widespread looting across the country, particularly in the Darfurs.
Just two days ago, he said, the agency’s main hub in El Obeid, North Kordofan, came under threat and looting of assets and vehicles was already confirmed.
Over 13 million children in need
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that “more children in Sudan today require lifesaving support than ever before”, with 13.6 million children in need of urgent assistance. “That’s more than the entire population of Sweden, of Portugal, of Rwanda,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters in Geneva.
According to reports received by UNICEF, hundreds of girls and boys have been killed in the fighting. “While we are unable to confirm these due to the intensity of the violence, we also have reports that thousands of children have been maimed,” Mr. Elder said.
‘Death sentence’
He also pointed out that reports of children killed or injured are only those who had contact with a medical facility, meaning that the reality is “no doubt much worse” and compounded by a lack of access to life-saving services including nutrition, safe water, and healthcare.
Mr. Elder alerted that “all these factors combined, risk becoming a death sentence, especially for the most vulnerable”.
UNICEF called for funding to the tune of $838 million to address the crisis, an increase of $253 million since the current conflict began in April, to reach 10 million children. Mr. Elder stressed that only 5 per cent of the required amount had been received so far, and that without the therapeutic food and vaccines which this money would allow to secure, children would be dying.
Healthcare under attack
The dire situation of healthcare in the country has been aggravated by continuing attacks on medical facilities. From the start of the conflict on 15 till 25 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) verified 45 attacks on healthcare, which led to eight deaths and 18 injuries, the agency’s spokesperson Tarik Jašarević said.
He also cited reports of military occupation of hospitals and medical supplies warehouses, which made it impossible for people in need to access chronic disease medicines or malaria treatment. Mr. Jašarević recalled that attacks on healthcare are a violation of international humanitarian law and must stop.
Keep borders open: Grandi
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, concluded a three-day visit to Egypt on Tuesday, with an urgent call for support for people fleeing Sudan – and the countries hosting them – insisting that the borders must remain open.
More than 170,000 people have entered Egypt since the conflict started – many through Qoustul, a border crossing that Grandi visited close to the end of his trip. The country hosts around half of the more than 345,000 people who have recently fled Sudan.
Mr. Grandi met newly arrived refugees and Egyptian border officials, to get a sense of the hardships being endured.
Loss ‘on a huge scale’
“I heard harrowing experiences: loss of life and property on a huge scale,” Grandi said. “People spoke of risky and expensive journeys to arrive here to safety. Many families have been torn apart. They are traumatized and urgently need our protection and support.“
The UNHCR chief also held talks with the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, and discussed how best to support refugees and mobilize resources for host countries, not least Egypt.
“I commend Egypt for its long-standing commitment to providing a safe haven to those fleeing violence,” Mr. Grandi said. “The Government, the Egyptian Red Cresent and the people, have been very generous in supporting arrivals. We urgently need to mobilize more resources to help them to maintain this generosity.”
Prior to this conflict, Egypt was already host to a large refugee population of 300,000 people from 55 different nationalities.
After registering with UNHCR, refugees and asylum-seekers have access to a wide range of services including health and education. UNHCR’s emergency cash assistance programme started during the last week.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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26 May 2023
Sudan: UN and partners scramble to supply aid amid fragile ceasefire
The UN and humanitarian partners are mobilizing to reach as many people as possible while the stuttering ceasefire between warring military factions is being respected, said the UN Spokesperson on Thursday.
Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents at the regular noon briefing that the opportunity to provide services and support to the millions of Sudanese who are suffering due to the six weeks of fighting between national army forces and their powerful rival militia, the RSF, was only feasible in areas where the ceasefire holds.
Relative calm has prevailed since the truce was reached between the feuding generals, in Jeddah, a week ago, but news reports suggest that flare ups in recent days are threating the continuation of the United States and Saudi-monitored ceasefire.
Aid trucks en route
“The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that some 20 trucks carrying supplies from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are now on their way to different parts of Sudan today”, he said.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has reached more than 500,000 people in nine states with food and nutrition support since restarting distributions about three weeks ago.
“WFP is also planning distributions in Central Darfur and Northern State. Yesterday, trucks loaded with food aid arrived in Wadi Halfa, and today in Port Sudan, WFP started providing food to some 4,000 new arrivals”, Mr. Dujarric continued.
According to UN agencies, six newborn babies died at a hospital in the city of Eld’aeen in East Darfur in just one week, due to problems including lack of oxygen amid electricity blackouts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 30 newborns have died at the hospital since the start of the fighting, Mr. Dujarric continued. WHO is in touch with healthcare providers to see what it can do to support, he said.
Half the population needs aid
An estimated 24.7 million people, or half the population, require urgent humanitarian assistance and protection, according to the UN’s top humanitarian official in the country, Abdou Dieng.
Mr. Dieng noted in a statement published late on Wednesday that this number had risen by 57 per cent since the beginning of the year.
He said that aid partners have provided food for over 500,000 people in the country since the beginning of May, in addition to supplying water, healthcare and hygiene support to hundreds of thousands of displaced people, whenever access was possible.
Mr. Dieng reiterated humanitarians are ready to deliver assistance to over four million in need and called on the relevant authorities to allow aid workers to move supplies “swiftly and safely”.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than two-thirds of hospitals are out of service because of fighting in Sudan, while in areas that did not see fighting, medical facilities are running low on supplies and staff, fuel, oxygen and blood bank services.
Rape, sexual violence
The UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, also highlighted her grave concern on Wednesday over multiple reports of sexual violence against women and girls, including allegations of rape, by combatants on both sides.
“I am very alarmed by emerging reports of sexual violence in different parts of Sudan and urge all parties to the conflict to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law, and in particular, to guarantee immediate and complete cessation of all violence against civilians, including sexual violence, as per their respective commitments” made in ceasefire terms.
She said it was “imperative that unfettered access to services is guaranteed by all parties”, calling on them to instantly “issue strict command orders that prohibit sexual violence, directed at their own forces as well as groups and individuals fighting on their side or under their command, and put in place mechanisms to adequately monitor the conduct of all armed elements they control”, she added.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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05 May 2023
UN and partners launch $445 million plan to ease Sudan crisis
With 860,000 people projected to flee the fighting in Sudan for neighbouring countries, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and partners on Thursday appealed for $445 million to assist the displaced through October.
The updates were made in a preliminary summary of the Regional Response Plan for Sudan, that was presented to donors in Geneva.
The funding will cover immediate support in Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. A more detailed plan will be launched next week.
More help needed
Raouf Mazou, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, pointed to the “tragic” humanitarian situation that has emerged in Sudan since fighting between rival military forces broke out nearly three weeks ago, killing more than 500 people.
The dire conditions include food, water and fuel shortages, as well as limited access to transport, communications and electricity. Access to healthcare has also been critically impacted, ongoing insecurity has prevented people from leaving dangerous areas, and the cost of basic items has skyrocketed.
UNHCR has been coordinating contingency planning with partners for new arrivals to countries bordering Sudan. The crisis has uprooted Sudanese citizens but also refugees who are now returning to their homelands, and other nationals.
“UNHCR and partners have emergency teams in place and are assisting authorities with technical support, registering arrivals, carrying out protection monitoring and strengthening reception to ensure urgent needs are met,” Mr. Mazou said. “This is just a start. More help is urgently needed.”
Refugees and returnees
The Regional Response Plan was drawn up by UNHCR together with 134 partners, including sister UN agencies, national and international non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups.
The 860,000 preliminary projection anticipates that some 580,000 people would be Sudanese; 235,000 returned refugees previously hosted by Sudan, leaving amid adverse conditions, and 45,000 refugees of other nationalities. Most arrivals are expected to flock to Egypt and South Sudan.
The fighting has already displaced over 330,000 people inside Sudan and forced over 100,000 to leave. UNHCR has also launched a data portal that will update daily refugee and returnee arrivals in neighbouring countries.
Whole region at risk
The Regional Response Plan will support host countries to ensure access to asylum, life-saving humanitarian assistance, and specialized services for the most vulnerable.
Like Sudan, most of the receiving nations were already hosting large numbers of forcibly displaced people, and operations were already perennially underfunded.
Mr. Mazou stressed the need for greater support now, warning of the potential wide-reaching consequences.
“We urgently need timely, new funding to respond to the mounting needs,” he said. “The needs are vast, and the challenges are numerous. If the crisis continues, peace and stability across the region could be at stake.”
Thousands at Ethiopia border town
Meanwhile, over 12,000 people have arrived at the remote Ethiopian border town of Metema since the fighting started on 15 April, the UN migration agency, IOM, reported on Thursday.
They include Sudanese citizens, returning Ethiopians and nationals from Türkiye, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya and more than 50 other countries.
Many are exhausted from the long and dangerous journey to safety.
IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) is currently recording over 1,000 daily arrivals in Metema. Many of these people enter Ethiopia without resources and belongings, leaving them vulnerable to being stranded.
IOM is assisting the arrivals, including those from countries whose embassies have requested support for their citizens.
Nearly 200 Kenyans, some of them students, over 200 Ugandans and more than 800 Somalis are among those who have been helped so far.
A Tanzanian family was also able to receive urgent medical attention and eventually return home with the assistance of their embassy in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
'Pregnancies don’t stop'
Back in Sudan, courageous midwives continue to bring new life into the world, amidst the heavy shelling and insecurity.
"As supplies and services grind to a halt, pregnancies don’t stop," UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, noted on Thursday.
UNFPA has trained some 90 community midwives who are helping pregnant women deliver safely, mainly at home, in the capital Khartoum.
“We are working all day every day across three hospitals. For women and girls who don’t have means of transportation, we go to their homes to ensure they give birth safely,” said Insaf, a midwife currently working in Om Badda, a western district in the city.
A life-threatening situation
Some 61 per cent of health facilities in Khartoum are closed, and only 16 per cent are operating as normal, affecting millions.
Dozens of attacks on hospitals, healthcare staff and ambulances, alongside widespread looting of already scarce medical supplies, water, fuel, and electricity, are pushing the health sector to the brink of collapse, UNFPA said.
The situation could prove life threatening for the estimated 219,000 pregnant women and girls in Khartoum alone because they cannot access essential health services, such as antenatal care, or deliver their babies in safety.
UNFPA stressed that access to midwives is the single most important factor in stopping preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Some 24,000 women are expected to give birth in the coming weeks.
“We have a severe lack of supplies in Khartoum, especially oxytocin and umbilical clips. Although services continue for the time being, we are praying for more supplies to arrive soon,” said Jamila, a midwife working in a UNFPA-supported health centre.
Meanwhile, blood, oxygen and other medical necessities, such as fuel for ambulances, are also running dangerously low.
Healthcare under fire
The World Health Organization (WHO) verified further assaults to the health system, such as looting, obstruction of access, violent attacks, and the forced occupation of facilities, the UN reported on Thursday.
Overall, 28 incidents have been verified, leading to eight deaths and 18 injuries among personnel working in the sector.
The UN and partners also continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to people in Sudan, wherever and whenever feasible.
Following a temporary pause, the World Food Programme (WFP) resumed its lifesaving operations on Wednesday, and a first set of distributions is underway to reach 22,000 people in Gedaref state.
Children caught in the crossfire
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has voiced its ongoing concern for boys and girls affected by the crisis. Some 190 children reportedly have been killed and another 1,700 injured.
“The situation in Sudan is teetering toward catastrophe, and children are increasingly caught in the crossfire,” Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement on Thursday.
“For the sake of Sudan’s children, the violence must stop.”
Ms. Russell added that attacks on the humanitarian sector are affecting her agency’s work to deliver lifesaving health, nutrition, water and sanitation services to children across the country.
Aid workers have come under fire, while humanitarian facilities and supplies – including those belonging to UNICEF – have been looted or destroyed.
“UNICEF also calls for a long-term political solution to the crisis, so that Sudan’s children can grow up in an environment of peace and look ahead to a more hopeful future,” Ms. Russell said.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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05 May 2023
Escaping Sudan: Home alone, with warplanes overhead
When fighting erupted in Sudan’s capital Khartoum, 25-year-old Arafa was at home alone with her two young children.
“I spent the night in fear, unable to go out of my house, as people were being killed everywhere,” she said, worrying about how she would protect her five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter.
Panicked by the sounds of shooting and warplanes flying overhead, she tried calling her husband at work, only to learn from friends that he had been shot dead.
No time to mourn
With no time to mourn and no clear plan, she fled Khartoum with her two young children in a desperate bid to escape. Setting out by bus, she arrived in Madani, a city 135 kilometres southeast of Khartoum, where a local man offered to help them leave the country.
Together with five others, they were driven to Port Sudan, the country’s main eastern seaport. From there they walked for a whole day before finding transport towards the Egyptian border.
“I was scared, tired, and without hope,” she said, noting that she spent 80 hours without food or water. “The road was difficult, and the continued sound of gunfire was deafening. I did not think we would make it. I was holding my children in my arms, fearing the war, the journey to asylum, and the long road ahead.”
Nowhere else to go
After crossing the border, they were eventually driven to Cairo and dropped off in a square in the unfamiliar city. With nowhere else to go, Arafa and her children spent the night on the street.
Arafa said that in the morning, a South Sudanese woman was passing by and saw her.
“She advised me to go to the office of UNHCR and register with them,” she said, adding that her family is now registered for assistance with the agency and is living with the kind South Sudanese woman.
‘We are together, with the refugees’
Like the other countries neighbouring Sudan that have been impacted by the conflict, Egypt already hosts a large refugee population.
With UNHCR operations in these countries already acutely underfunded, the refugee agency said increased support will be vital to respond to the humanitarian needs of those fleeing the violence.
That includes about 60,000 Khartoum residents that have fled the city for safety.
Randa Osman, an assistant field officer with UNHCR, provided an update from the Shagarab Refugee Camp in eastern Sudan.
“Despite the ongoing conflict, we are together, hand by hand, with the refugees, listening to them, and being with the people we serve in all situations in Sudan,” she said.
Amid airstrikes, armed attacks, and urban warfare, more than 100,000 Sudanese have already reportedly escaped into neighbouring countries, with their harrowing stories echoing the plight of tens of thousands of others who are frantically fleeing, since fierce fighting between rival military groups began on 15 April.
Devastating chaos
For Marwa, who was preparing breakfast for her 11-month-old son in their home near Khartoum airport on that morning, life changed in an instant. The humanitarian worker had planned on that Saturday to welcome home her husband from a trip ahead of Eid celebrations.
Instead, after days of devastating chaos, shooting, and violence, she wended through embattled streets to find a way to escape.
Grabbing a few belongings, including some medication and some clothes, she joined thousands of other families fleeing for safety.
Her journey from Khartoum to Egypt was a stressful, exhausting mix of heat, hunger, fear, sleepless nights, and mosquito bites, she said.
Now in a safe place, Marwa said she feels helpless, unable to help those who have remained behind.
“As a person working in the humanitarian field, it was very hard for me to see this situation but be unable to help,” she said. “My husband is still in Kassala, and we have no idea how we’ll be reunited. We’re still trying to work that out.”
Fleeing with nothing
“We fled Sudan for Chad,” said Halime Issakh Oumar, who is now a refugee. “We want to be safe. There is no security. We came with nothing, not even food or something to drink.”
The stories of Arafa, Marwa, and Halime mirror those of almost 21,000 Sudanese who sought refuge in neighbouring Chad. Another 10,000 Sudanese have fled to Central African Republic, and, as of Thursday, 47,000 have escaped to safety in Egypt, according UN reports.
In these countries as well as neighbouring Ethiopia and South Sudan, thousands of men, women, and children are arriving, some after perilous journeys, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and other UN entities.
Assisting growing numbers of refugees
Africa’s second largest refugee-hosting country, Sudan hosts more than 1.14 million refugees. Before the onset of the conflict, more than 3.7 million people were internally displaced, and now, there are many more, UNHCR said.
As the warring military factions have repeatedly broken fragile ceasefire agreements, several UN agencies say the numbers of refugees will continue to grow.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is currently recording more than 1,000 daily arrivals in Ethiopia, where the majority – 39 per cent – are returning Ethiopians, and 17 per cent are Sudanese and third country nationals from more than 50 other countries.
Raghuveer Sharma, who moved to Sudan from India in 2021, had worked at a steel plant outside Khartoum at the outset of the conflict. For a full week, armed groups had entered the premises daily, looting and firing weapons indiscriminately, taking a hostage, and demanding vehicles and mobile phones, he told UN News.
“We made a plan that as soon as armed groups entered the guest house, we would not let them come inside,” he said. “As long as we had vehicles and mobile phones, our lives would be spared.”
Grateful for being evacuated, he said he hopes the situation in Sudan returns to normal soon.
A ‘perfect storm’
The UN estimates that as many as 270,000 Sudanese could end up crossing the seven international borders of the 48 million-strong nation – the third largest country in Africa.
UNHCR said on Thursday that the agency is expecting an outflow of 860,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan.
The World Food Programme (WFP) warned of “a perfect storm” in Chad, where the influx of refugees is unfolding weeks before the onset of the lean season between harvests, which is expected to leave an estimated 1.9 million people severely food insecure.
Pounding rains arriving about the same time, threaten to turn swathes of desert into rivers, imperiling deliveries of key food assistance to the refugees and other vulnerable groups, the agency said.
“It’s a perfect storm,” said Pierre Honnorat, WFP Country Director and Representative in Chad. “The lean season coming in June, and the rainy season that will cut off all those regions.”
Everything lost ‘in the blink of an eye’
The Sudanese people’s stories paint a somber picture of how conflict can instantaneously shatter lives.
A 16-year-old Sudanese girl had made it across the Chadian border to safety.
“I would love to go back to my country,” she said, “but only if we are safe there.”
While many have managed to escape the fighting and reach safety, Arafa said her own family’s future feels far from secure.
“I can’t believe I am here in Egypt now, but I am still afraid of everything,” Arafa said. “I need help. I am afraid of the future. I lost my home, my husband, and my country in the blink of an eye. I don’t want to lose my children too. I want them to be safe.”
UN in action
Across the border towns lacing Sudan, UN agencies are working to help those in need. Here is a snapshot of some of what is happening on the ground:
In Chad and Sudan, UN agencies are bringing in more than 70,000 core relief items from its global stockpiles.
In Egypt, the UN is conducting an assessment mission on the needs of people fleeing Sudan.
The UN and the Egyptian Red Crescent are delivering water, food, wheelchairs, and hygiene and sanitary kits to new arrivals.
A social media account and website run by UNHCR offers up-to-date information for refugees in Egypt.
UNHCR launched a preliminary inter-agency regional refugee response plan on Thursday to address urgent financial needs as soon as possible, which requires $445 million to support the displaced until October.
At border crossings, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provides families with essential items and medical services.
IOM is providing such support services as transportation and accommodation to refugees and returnees at border areas, where the agency has set up transit centres.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) continues to support partners to provide life-saving health care, distribute supplies for safe births, and to manage obstetric emergencies through a network of midwives.
WFP provides assistance in the region, and it is urgently appealing for emergency funding, including at least $145.6 million to continue supporting newly arrived and existing refugees in Chad, along with host communities.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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Story
04 May 2023
Sudan: ‘Secure and immediate access’ needed for lifesaving aid, urges Guterres
Fighting in Sudan must stop now before the conflict and the spreading humanitarian catastrophe further ravage the country, and the region, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday.
António Guterres was speaking to journalists in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, where he will be chairing a meeting of chief executives from across the whole UN system.
Since violence erupted in Sudan on 15 April, more than 334,000 have likely been uprooted and more 100,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries, according to UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
Hostilities between the rival militaries of the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have raged for nearly three weeks, despite repeated announcements and failed extensions of ceasefires between the two sides.
Latest UN figures show at least 528 have died during the fighting, with nearly 4,600 injured, though many more are thought to have perished due to the disruptions in critical services, including healthcare.
Peace, and civilian rule
“All parties must put the interests of the Sudanese people first”, said the UN chief, “and that means peace and a return to civilian rule, allowing for the development of the country.
“We are putting these goals front and centre as we engage with the parties to the conflict, and work hand-in-hand with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (the regional body, IGAD).”
Mr. Guterres reiterated that the Sudanese people were “facing a humanitarian catastrophe”, while millions now face food insecurity.
He said the UN was “ready to deliver”, under the leadership of his Special Representative - and head of UN mission in Sudan, UNITAMS – Volker Perthes.
“Aid must be allowed into Sudan, and we need secure and immediate access to be able to distribute it to people who need it most”, he said.
Relief chief calls for safe passage agreements
Top UN humanitarian official Martin Griffiths on Wednesday urged Sudan’s warring parties to commit to the safe passage of relief supplies, as terrified civilians continue to flee the country.
He arrived just hours ago in the UN aid hub of Port Sudan, on Sudan’s Red Sea coast.
“We can and should get assistance to the different parts of Darfur, to Khartoum. …and the agency representatives I met here this morning are unanimous about that. But to do that, we need access, we need airlifts, we need supplies that don’t get looted,” said emergency relief chief Griffiths.
Looting fears
Speaking from Port Sudan, Mr. Griffiths noted that the UN World Food Programme (WFP) had reported that six trucks heading to Darfur had been looted on Wednesday “despite assurances of safety and security”, amid the ongoing power struggle.
To help the most vulnerable communities in Sudan and to prevent further looting of relief supplies, Mr. Griffiths insisted on the need “to be sure that we have the commitments publicly and clearly given by the two militaries to protect humanitarian assistance, to deliver on the obligations to allow supplies of people to move”.
This commitment should apply even without a formal national ceasefire in place, he continued, by means of local arrangements “that can be depended on”.
Desperate health needs
Highlighting the scale of need in areas affected by heavy shooting and airstrikes, the UN relief chief reiterated that restoring medical assistance topped the list of priorities in the capital, Khartoum, where more than six in 10 health facilities are closed, and only around one in seven is operating normally.
“Many patients with chronic diseases, like kidney disease, diabetes and cancer, are unable to access the health facilities or medicines they need,” OCHA reported.
Providing safe water also remains a vital priority, to encourage communities to stay where they were so that they can receive help. “We have a plan for how we get supplies to these places” across the country including Darfur, Mr. Griffiths said. “We know how we can do this, and we will start doing it.”
UN supporting young Sudanese women, amid mounting threats
Rainy season deadline
Humanitarians fear that unless such aid guarantees from the warring sides are secured, the situation in Sudan could deteriorate further.
“(The UN Food and Agriculture Organization) FAO and the UN World Food Programme, talked to me today about the importance of getting food and seeds into places which are going to be hard to reach because of the rainy season that’s coming in June, and with the planting season, which is also coming from May to July,” Mr. Griffiths said.
“We will still require agreements and arrangements to allow for movement of staff and supplies…. It’s a volatile environment”, he said.
“I think you will find if we have good funding that we will be able to do exactly what the people of Sudan require us to do and are entitled to see us do.”
'We must act now': IOM chief
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the head of the UN migration agency (IOM) António Vitorino, said the world "cannot turn a blind eye" to the crisis in Sudan.
It is imperative that we - as UN agencies, donors, individuals, as well as governments – collectively act and support the people of Sudan and neighboring countries."
He commended all those nations keeping their borders open to those fleeing violence, calling for increased efforts to improve the conditions at border points, to allow more aid to flow.
Mr. Vitorino added that IOM was working with partners on an interagency and coordinated response plan and appeal, to scale up lifesaving aid. So far, there are six warehouses with supplies across five states inside Sudan, and more than 10,000 prepositioned core relief kits.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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Press Release
02 May 2023
Secretary-General appoints Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami of Cameroon as Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Clementine Nkweta-Salami of Cameroon as his Deputy Special Representative for Sudan with the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS). She will also serve as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. Ms. Nkweta-Salami succeeds Ms. Khardiata Lo N’Diaye of Senegal, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedication.
Ms. Nkweta-Salami brings to the position 30 years of experience in humanitarian affairs and protection, mainly in field settings. For the past three years, she has served as Director of the Regional Bureau for the East, Horn and Great Lakes Regions of Africa of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where she is responsible for providing strategic direction, support and oversight of eleven UNHCR country offices. Prior to this, she was UNHCR Representative to Ethiopia, Regional Representative to Southern Africa, Representative to Burundi, and Head of Inspection in the Inspector General’s Office at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva. She has also served in field positions with UNHCR in Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Ms. Nkweta-Salami holds a Master's degree in Corporate and Commercial Law from University College, University of London, a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Warwick and a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Ottawa. Ms. Nkweta-Salami is a qualified Barrister and member of the English and Cameroon Bar.
New York, 1 May 2023
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Press Release
29 March 2023
Cereal production improves while food insecurity persists in the Sudan – new report finds
A recently released special report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 2022/23 Crops and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) has revealed significant improvements in cereal production in the Sudan. The mission was conducted at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and in close collaboration with key partners, including the World Food Programme, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, and the United States Agency for International Development.
As the report indicates, most agricultural inputs, including seed, fertilizer, herbicides, fuel, and labour, were available in 2022 – but at a very high cost compared to the previous season. As a result, most farmers had to utilize the seeds they had saved from the previous year’s harvest due to high market prices.
“Although overall cereal production at national level is impressively better than the previous season, food insecurity at the household level remains a serious challenge,” said Adam Yao, FAO Representative a.i. in the Sudan. “Communities are facing differing scales of vulnerabilities driven by soaring prices of staple crops, and the combined effects of economic downturn, high inflation, climate-induced hazards and conflict.”
According to the report, the 2022 national cereal production, which includes sorghum, millet, and wheat crops (harvested in March 2023), is estimated at about 7.4 million tonnes – 45 percent above that obtained in 2021. Sorghum production alone is approximately 5.2 million tonnes, a 50 percent increase compared to the previous year. Millet output is estimated at 1.7 million tonnes, an 86 percent increase compared to 2021. However, the production of wheat to be harvested in March 2023 is forecasted at about 476 000 tonnes – a 30 percent decrease compared to 2021 due to a reduction in planted area in favor of legumes and spices.
This significant increase in total cereal production can be attributed to favorable weather conditions, in particular a good performance of the rainy season, supported by over 5 000 tonnes of quality seeds of improved varieties supplied by FAO to strengthen vulnerable households ‘own food production. With 95 percent of cultivated land under rain-fed agriculture, rainfall is an important driver of crop production.
Using the population projection of 47.6 million people for mid-2023[1], the cereal import requirements for the 2023 marketing year (January/December) are forecasted at 3.6 million tonnes, almost entirely of wheat, which will require an importation of 3.5 million tonnes to cover domestic consumption. This will have a major impact on the food security of millions of Sudanese people, as international prices of wheat continue to increase and the country’s national currency weakens.
By contrast, for sorghum and millet, surpluses of 484 000 tonnes and 679 000 tonnes are forecasted respectively.
“It is essential to continue enhancing domestic cereal production to strengthen the food security and resilience of the most vulnerable people in the Sudan”, emphasised Mr Yao.
# # #
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. We believe that everyone can play a part in ending hunger.
[1] Data from Central Bureau of Statistics, 2023
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Press Release
13 March 2023
Norway, FAO support Sudanese smallholders’ farmers and agro-pastoralists value chain in the face of climate change
Khartoum - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) together with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Sudan and the Ministry of Agriculture conducted a three-day inception workshop of the project: ‘’ FAO Sudan smallholders and agro-pastoralists value chain support in the face of climate change’’ from 6 to 8 March.
The purpose of the workshop which gathered more than 150 participants was to provide a platform to key stakeholders – Smallholder farmers and pastoralists’ representatives, Federal and decentralized State authorities, the Norwegian Embassy, UN agencies, SMEs, Universities and Academia, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations, and others to review the project framework and develop recommendations to streamline the project design and activities to be implemented in the states of Sennar, White Nile, and Gedaref.
The Ambassador of Norway to Sudan in his opening remarks emphasized on the importance of supporting the agriculture sector and vulnerable smallholders and pastoralists to overcome their challenges to be self-reliant and produce enough food to strengthen their food and nutrition security to directly contribute to the achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals including the SDGs: 2, 1,5,8,12,13,16 and 17, and indirectly to other SDGs. The project is also in line with the national plan and strategy of the government of Sudan.
Agriculture production systems and food systems in Sudan must undergo a significant transformation in order to achieve sustainability, increase food security, and respond to climate change. “In this regards the project supported by the Embassy of Norway will develop an inclusive partnership with all key stakeholders to ensure that smallholder farmers, agro-pastoralists, and pastoralists supported by the project are more resilient, more productive, more efficient more profitable, and food-secured using watershed ecosystem management and climate-smart agriculture approaches”, said Adam Yao, FAO Representative a.i in Sudan.
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Press Release
23 February 2023
Joint Press Release: UN-Habitat Sudan Receives USD 605,222 from Japan to support Peaceful IDP returns to North Darfur, Sudan
El Fasher is one of the localities that host a largest number of IDPs who have been displaced for two decades. Due to the recent political and economic situations of the country, deteriorated security situations, and protracted displacement, the IDPs face precarious living conditions characterized by lack of basic services, lack of security of land tenure, and lack of livelihood options. Deprivation in these basic rights, in turn, worsens the vulnerability of IDPs towards economic crisis and food security.
Through the support of Japan, the project aims to support sustainable IDP returns and ensure human security of both the returned IDPs and host communities through the improvement in basic services and public facilities, securing land rights of returned IDPs and host community members, and ensuring the commitment of relevant actors towards guiding principle for sustainable, voluntary, dignified and safe return of IDP’s. The project also aims to enhance self-reliance of the returned IDPs and host communities, by training youth and women on self-help construction using the environmentally sensitive and affordable Stabilized Soil Blocks (SSB).
His Excellency Mr. Takashi Hattori, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of the Sudan expressed that “It is our honor to continue our work with UN-Habitat Sudan through our project ‘Emergency Support to IDP Returns in El Fasher Locality, North Darfur State’. The Government of Japan has long been a strong advocate of and contributor to improving human security globally. I sincerely hope that this project would contribute to ensuring the human security of both the returned IDPs and host community members, which perfectly aligns with our vision in ensuring sustainable and durable peace.”
Mr. Masayuki Yokota, Head of UN-Habitat Country Programme highlighted the critical challenges in Darfur, where the vulnerability of IDPs are heightened due to the recent political, economic and security situations, requiring urgent attention and practical solutions to build their resilience and to ensure human security. Particularly, a large number of IDPs living in informal settlements around major cities and towns lead to unplanned, rapid urbanization in urban peripheries without adequate basic services and infrastructure, which negatively affect the host communities. Mr. Yokota expressed his gratitude to the Government of Japan for their support to the project that addresses the urgent need to improve the human security situations of IDPs and host communities, and at the same time contributes to the long-germ resilience of returned IDPs and host communities through improved access to livelihood for local youth and women, basic services and land rights.
Japan also provided UN-Habitat Sudan with support for sustainable IDP returns and peaceful coexistence of IDPs and host communities in Eid Elfursan and Alsalam Localities, South Darfur State, and Tawilla Locality, North Darfur State in recent years.
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Press Release
02 February 2023
UN rights expert Radhouane Nouicer’s statement at end of first official visit
Sudan: UN rights expert Radhouane Nouicer’s statement at end of first official visit
Khartoum, 2 February 2023
Good afternoon. Thank you all for coming.
As you may be aware, I was appointed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights as his Designated Expert on the human rights situation in Sudan in December, succeeding Adama Dieng. During this visit to Sudan, the first in my official capacity, I have met with the authorities, civil society, and victims of human rights violations in Khartoum and in West Darfur. I have also held meetings with members of the diplomatic community and the UN country team.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the authorities in Sudan for their cooperation with my mandate, their support for my visit, and for the frank and constructive discussions we have had on human rights issues. I welcome the commitments made in my meetings with them to address the concerns I raised.
Four years ago, when Sudanese women, men and youth took to the streets demanding respect for their rights, full of hope for a safer and more just future, the world was watching in support. Sudan today stands at a critical crossroads. A new phase of the transition is urgently needed to continue the process towards democracy that was interrupted by the October 2021 military takeover and meet the population’s demands for freedom, peace, and justice.
I welcome the important human rights commitments in the Framework Agreement that was signed between civilian political forces and the military in December last year and hope that roadmaps will be soon established to address all five outstanding issues, with broad participation of concerned parties in an inclusive dialogue, so that a final agreement can be signed and a civilian government appointed. Resumption of legal and institutional reform, with the participation of civil society, must be a priority for a new government. Human rights and accountability must be central to the next government’s program.
That Sudan faces huge challenges was brought into clearer focus to me in my various meetings. In El Geneina, I met people who had been repeatedly displaced as a result of armed attacks against their communities, for which, to my understanding, no one has been held accountable. Some have been displaced for nearly 20 years but still hold hope that they will one day be able to return safely to their homes and lands. For that, they need security, and a political commitment to resolve the underlying causes of conflict. Implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement and the National Action Plan for the Protection of Civilians can help to resolve some of these issues. Failure to take action to protect the population will lead to further conflict and an increase in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance.
The message of the victims and civil society representatives I have met is clear and I fully endorse it: all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses committed during Sudan’s conflicts must be held to account, in accordance with due process and without unjustified delays. This is the message I delivered to the authorities. Accountability and transitional justice require a process and credible mechanisms that address past crimes, their root causes, and prevent recurrence.
From my meetings with a large number of civil society representatives, including women and young people, I got a clear sense of a lack of confidence in the way things are going - an uncertainty about the future. Many reported increased restrictions on their activities, including increased bureaucracy, denial of NGO registration and undue scrutiny of their funding. They felt that the space that had opened for civil society during the transition is being closed again. A robust and diverse civil society is fundamental to democracy, and serious steps towards building trust between the population and state institutions is key for the success of any political process. Without political stability, the environment will not be conducive to improvement of the human rights situation.
In my meetings with the authorities, I raised several interlinked issues and made to them the following recommendations:
To urgently address issues of accountability of security forces to the population within a framework of democratic civilian oversight, rule of law and respect for human rights. This should include a clear roadmap for security sector reform. As has been documented by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, human rights violations since the military takeover have included excessive use of force against protestors, arbitrary arrest and detentions of political opponents and civil society activists, torture and ill-treatment, attacks against hospitals and medical personnel, sexual violence and restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression. The committees established to investigate the human rights violations committed since the military takeover have not yet submitted their findings. The immunity from prosecution of members of the security forces implicated in human rights violations must be lifted. Victims and their families are waiting for justice, and Sudan’s future depends on the way the authorities address cases of accountability in Khartoum, Darfur, and in every region in the country.
Establishing the Transitional Justice Commission, as per the law adopted in 2021, must be a priority in the coming period. I urge the Sudanese authorities to uphold their commitment to set up a comprehensive victim-centred and gender-sensitive transitional justice process that will address all human rights violations and abuses, provide justice to the victims and prevent their recurrence,
Restrict the use of emergency legislation, in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Sudan has ratified. Emergency decrees have been used to detain people for long periods without respect for their due process rights, including the right to fair trial and representation. In West Darfur, I raised my concerns with the Wali and Security Committee about the impact of the decision to imprison hundreds of people without trial, many in other states. I welcome the release of most of them prior to my visit.
Guarantee the rights and protection of women. Women have been at the forefront of the peaceful protests and have since the coup been victims of violence, intimidation and harassment and seen a roll-back of the gains won under the transitional government. I urge the authorities to publicly commit to and implement a zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence and take measures to stop all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
The authorities should guarantee the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights. I am deeply concerned by the retrogression of the enjoyment of these rights, including basic services, due to the deterioration in the economy, increased cost of living and pressure on the population as a result of increased taxes and fees, without increase in their income.
We are at a critical moment in Sudan’s history. For Sudan’s democratic transition to succeed, there must be solidarity among all sectors of this culturally rich and diverse society. The time has come for Sudanese leaders from all parties, military and civilian, whatever their political positions, to set aside their personal interests and work for the common good of the Sudanese people.
I would like to thank all those national and international actors working to help Sudan along the path of democracy, development and prosperity.
END
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