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26 April 2024
Note to Correspondents: On Sudan (the situation in El Fasher)
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26 April 2024
Türk expresses grave concern at escalating violence in El-Fasher
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25 April 2024
Scourge of sexual violence amid ongoing conflict demands urgent response
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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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09 December 2023
Sudanese women advocate for peace at conference in Uganda
We must work together to formulate a clear vision to achieve the aspirations of the Sudanese people, bringing back security, peace, and the establishment of a civil state where all citizens are equal, and opportunities are provided regardless of their gender, ethnic, religious, or tribal backgrounds.
Those are the words of Samia Argawi, a lawyer and founder of “Women Against War” and member of the “Peace for Sudan Platform”, a peacebuilding initiative by Sudanese women-led organizations and initiatives supported by UN Women.
Since fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces broke out on 15 April 2023, hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured. UN reports have found that gender-based violence has increased during the conflict, and the humanitarian situation has significantly worsened, with food prices peaking and limited access to water and electricity.
The Peace for Sudan Platform comprises more than 49 women-led peace initiatives, humanitarian initiatives, and civil society organizations, featuring representatives from across the different regions of the country.
Soon after fighting broke out, UN Women and partners including the African Union, the African Women Leaders Network, at the request of the Peace for Sudan Platform, organized a virtual high-level solidarity mission to support and amplify calls to end the conflict, highlight its impact on women and girls, and mobilize support to women’s peacebuilding and protection efforts.
In late October, shortly after the conflict passed its six-month mark, UN Women in partnership with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Union, and International Women's Peace Center organized a conference with Sudanese women peacebuilders in Kampala, Uganda.
The conference included consultations with more than 400 women across 14 Sudanese states about their priorities and demands and aimed to build bridges between women in Sudan and in countries across the region. Women joined online from Sudan and in-person, with many refugees and exiles attending.
The conference also aimed to enhance women’s leadership and highlighted the leading role Sudanese women and young women are playing in mobilizing the peace movement.
A long history of peacebuilding
“Sudanese women have their own narrative of resilience and determination as agents of peace”, said Adjaratou Ndiaye, UN Women’s Sudan representative. “Conflict and displacement have never shaken their mission for peace, as we witness this gathering today and recognize all the women-led peace initiatives and responses on the ground and in other parts of the world”.
Many women joined Sudan’s 2019 revolution, which saw the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir after 30 years in power. Women were able to organize protests and support young people throughout the upheaval, and their activism was highlighted by alternative media outlets that arose after the revolution. But 2019 represented just one episode in a long line of women’s work for peace and justice in the country.
“Since the founding of Sudan 67 years ago, the women of Sudan have always stood out as a beacon of hope and the voice of reason during the successive crises that have faced the country”, said Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of IGAD.
“Let us remember the wise words of our African proverbs: ‘When men go to war, it is women who must pick up the pieces’”, he said. “Together, we can empower the women of Sudan to be the agents of peace and rebuild our shared nation.”
Calls for an immediate peace
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Suzan Hussein, a Sudanese woman activist living as a refugee in Uganda said, “This war should stop as soon as possible not just in Khartoum, but also in different areas in Sudan”.
“For me, this conference means a platform and a [form of] resistance. A platform in which I can represent the diversity of women in Sudan”, Hussein said, adding that she hoped the conference could link “different groups of women in order to create a feminist agenda” and resist violence against women.
Women-led organizations in Sudan have the expertise and experience to work on sensitive issues including gender-based violence and to provide services to women, girls, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
“Men do not consider our participation a priority, and they do not respond to women's demands for participation in negotiations”, said one woman activist whose anonymous testimony was presented at the conference.
“We are capable of representing ourselves on any platform, and we do not want men to speak on our behalf”, she said.
Another woman whose name was not disclosed to protect her safety was quoted in testimony as saying that existing women’s programming was difficult to continue during the conflict. While she was formerly able to provide kits to sexual violence survivors, “now we cannot reach the survivors to assist them”.
The current war is a manifestation of wider political, social, and economic forces. Argawi noted that peace was intimately tied with combating “poverty, marginalization, and discrimination, [and] creating a healthy and resilient environment”.
“We also hope to work together to develop a political consensus among the components of the people, a consensus that holds the recipe for political, economic, and social success”, Argawi said.
She explained that, only by developing agreements among all political actors, could the peace process “ensure the continuity of this approach, healing wounds, mending the fabric of our society, and injecting life into the nation's veins”.
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08 August 2023
How a tea-seller displaced by conflict led her family away from hunger
Written by Mohamed Elamin
“We fled into the unknown with no destination in mind,” says Awadeya Mahmoud, describing the night in April when the sound of an explosion woke up her family of ten. By dawn, they and the people living near them in their south-Khartoum neighbourhood decided enough was enough, and fled the capital.
A worsening security situation is making it increasingly difficult for the World Food Programme (WFP) to reach the 6.3 million people it intends to this year. Since conflict broke out in the country on 15 April, it has reached 1.5 million with critical supplies, including 40,000 children aged under-5, pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Two days after the bombing, Mahmoud and her children made it to Albageir village in Gezira state.
“The war displaced my whole family and my children never healed from the horror they felt,” she recalls. “They refused to eat or drink. They were just crying.”
At the time, the family were out of money and had to sell what belongings they could to finance their journey to safety. “I fled my home together with my neighbours to arrive in Albageir [village] before reaching Wad Madani,” says Mahmoud, who leads a cooperative of women caterers, including tea vendors like herself.
“I had to sell [many of] my belongings to be able to take my family to safety,” she says.
Continued fighting in Sudan poses a threat to the current planting season and to farmers who are already struggling to cope with soaring prices of fertilizers and seeds.
When Mahmoud and her neighbours arrived in Madani, 186km from home, finding a place to sleep was extremely difficult. The city was already filled with displaced people from the capital, Khartoum. Luckily, the families she had arrived with found a house to cram into with a total of 37 children.
With basic shelter in place, the problem of hunger persists. A third of Sudan’s population was already food-insecure before the war, according to WFP.
“We seriously suffered, we had a food problem and some of the children suffered from fevers and measles,” says Mahmoud.
She is among 24,606 people that WFP has assisted in Madani through its new hub in the city.
Using food from WFP, Mahmoud put her skills to work and started cooking for fellow displaced people.
“We are on full stomachs now,” she says of the families who escaped with hers. “I was given flour, oil, and yellow split beans.
Gezira is among 14 of the 18 states where WFP has assisted people in the past few months, alongside, for the first time, the River Nile and White Nile states.
While many people have made it safely out of Khartoum, thousands of families remain trapped in conflict areas with no access to food and other basic needs. “My cooperative alone has 150,000 members and I am hoping that WFP will be able to help them,” says Mahmoud.
“What WFP is doing is not easy. It's what we need the most in Sudan because you’re mobilizing food around the world for people,” says Mahmoud.
“Humanitarian needs have reached record levels and there is still no sign of an end to the conflict,” says Eddie Rowe, WFP’s Country Director for Sudan.
“WFP is doing everything possible to deliver life-saving assistance to millions of people in Sudan, but insecurity and access constraints are restricting us from reaching more people, especially in Khartoum and West Darfur.”
The conflict has caused severe damage to critical infrastructure nationwide, and access to food, water, cash, fuel, healthcare, and other basic services has been fractured. Moreover, razed and looted markets, broken transport networks and dysfunctional markets have strained food availability.
In West Darfur, the situation is alarming with reports of ethnic violence against civilians. Insecurity is making humanitarian access to Sudan’s most food-insecure state nearly impossible.
WFP urgently requires US$410 million for its operations in Sudan to ensure immediate life-saving assistance to conflict-affected people like Mahmoud and her family.
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Press Release
08 August 2023
Severe violations of children’s rights an ‘hourly occurrence’ in Sudan, warns UNICEF
PORT SUDAN/NEW YORK – As the brutal conflict in Sudan hits 100-days, UNICEF has received reports of a staggering 2,500 severe violations of children’s rights - an average of at least one an hour. As these are just the numbers reported to UNICEF sources, the true figure is likely to be far higher, and a grim reminder of the day-to-day impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable, in a country where almost 14 million children need humanitarian support.
“The scale of the impact that this conflict has had on children in Sudan in the past 100 days is almost beyond comprehension,” said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, who is in Sudan this week. “Parents and grandparents who lived through previous cycles of violence are now having to watch their children and grandchildren experience similar horrific experiences. Each and every day, children are being killed, injured, abducted, and seeing the schools, hospitals and the vital infrastructure and life-saving supplies they rely on damaged, destroyed or looted.”
At least 435 children have been reported killed in the conflict, and at least 2,025 children injured.
In addition to those killed and injured, UNICEF has received alarming reports of escalating attacks against health facilities in parts of Sudan. An estimated 68 per cent of hospitals in the worst-affected areas have had to suspend service and at least 17 hospitals have reportedly been bombed. Several more hospitals are believed to have been turned into military bases, and there have been repeated reports of ambulances coming under attack.
Over three months into the conflict, millions of families have been uprooted from their homes by the violence. Before the crisis, nearly 3.8 million people were internally displaced in Sudan, 1.9 million of whom were children. 1.7 million additional children have been driven from their homes and are now on the move within Sudan and crossing its borders, vulnerable to hunger, disease, violence, and separation from their families. Reports of abductions, recruitment of children into armed groups, ethnically targeted violence, and gender-based violence against women and girls are also on the rise, with 4.2 million women and girls at risk of Gender-Based Violence.
Restricted movement due to the security situation, administrative barriers and bureaucratic impediments and the denial of humanitarian access, remain key obstacles to delivering much needed aid to those in desperate need and pose a threat to aid workers. Combined with the destruction and looting of critical supplies and facilities, this has left at least 690,000 children exposed to severe acute malnutrition and 1.7 million children under the age of one risk missing critical vaccinations, raising the risk of disease outbreaks.
“The past 100 days have shown that—as in any conflict—the direct and indirect impacts for children and families are devastating, and without concerted action, including the commitment of the parties to the conflict to stop the fighting and uphold international law, severe violations of children’s rights will only worsen,” said Chaiban. “Without guaranteed, safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers, and life-saving supplies, along with urgently needed additional funding, the futures of millions of children will remain in the balance.”
Despite the challenges, over the past 100 days UNICEF, with partners, has reached over 3 million children and women with health supplies, 1.4 million people with safe drinking water, and 1.7 million children with screening for malnutrition—of which 82,000 received life-saving treatment. In addition, almost 100,000 children and caregivers are benefitting from psycho-social counselling and protection support, including through over 400 safe-spaces established across the country.
To date, UNICEF delivered over 5,500 metric tons of life-saving supplies across Sudan, including in hotspot areas in Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum. However, while fighting continues, needs will only increase, with many vulnerable communities remain out of reach of humanitarian support.
As of mid-July, the UNICEF appeal for US$838 million to reach almost 10 million of the most vulnerable children in Sudan is only 9 per cent funded. UNICEF urgently needs $400 million to sustain and scale up critical life-saving health, nutrition, water, sanitation, learning and protection assistance to the most vulnerable children caught in this crisis over the next 100 days.
Media contacts Ammar Ammar Regional Chief of Communication and Advocacy UNICEF Amman Tel: +962 7 91837388 Email: aammar@unicef.org Salim Oweis Regional Communication Chief (OIC) MENARO Email: soweis@unicef.org
“The scale of the impact that this conflict has had on children in Sudan in the past 100 days is almost beyond comprehension,” said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, who is in Sudan this week. “Parents and grandparents who lived through previous cycles of violence are now having to watch their children and grandchildren experience similar horrific experiences. Each and every day, children are being killed, injured, abducted, and seeing the schools, hospitals and the vital infrastructure and life-saving supplies they rely on damaged, destroyed or looted.”
At least 435 children have been reported killed in the conflict, and at least 2,025 children injured.
In addition to those killed and injured, UNICEF has received alarming reports of escalating attacks against health facilities in parts of Sudan. An estimated 68 per cent of hospitals in the worst-affected areas have had to suspend service and at least 17 hospitals have reportedly been bombed. Several more hospitals are believed to have been turned into military bases, and there have been repeated reports of ambulances coming under attack.
Over three months into the conflict, millions of families have been uprooted from their homes by the violence. Before the crisis, nearly 3.8 million people were internally displaced in Sudan, 1.9 million of whom were children. 1.7 million additional children have been driven from their homes and are now on the move within Sudan and crossing its borders, vulnerable to hunger, disease, violence, and separation from their families. Reports of abductions, recruitment of children into armed groups, ethnically targeted violence, and gender-based violence against women and girls are also on the rise, with 4.2 million women and girls at risk of Gender-Based Violence.
Restricted movement due to the security situation, administrative barriers and bureaucratic impediments and the denial of humanitarian access, remain key obstacles to delivering much needed aid to those in desperate need and pose a threat to aid workers. Combined with the destruction and looting of critical supplies and facilities, this has left at least 690,000 children exposed to severe acute malnutrition and 1.7 million children under the age of one risk missing critical vaccinations, raising the risk of disease outbreaks.
“The past 100 days have shown that—as in any conflict—the direct and indirect impacts for children and families are devastating, and without concerted action, including the commitment of the parties to the conflict to stop the fighting and uphold international law, severe violations of children’s rights will only worsen,” said Chaiban. “Without guaranteed, safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers, and life-saving supplies, along with urgently needed additional funding, the futures of millions of children will remain in the balance.”
Despite the challenges, over the past 100 days UNICEF, with partners, has reached over 3 million children and women with health supplies, 1.4 million people with safe drinking water, and 1.7 million children with screening for malnutrition—of which 82,000 received life-saving treatment. In addition, almost 100,000 children and caregivers are benefitting from psycho-social counselling and protection support, including through over 400 safe-spaces established across the country.
To date, UNICEF delivered over 5,500 metric tons of life-saving supplies across Sudan, including in hotspot areas in Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum. However, while fighting continues, needs will only increase, with many vulnerable communities remain out of reach of humanitarian support.
As of mid-July, the UNICEF appeal for US$838 million to reach almost 10 million of the most vulnerable children in Sudan is only 9 per cent funded. UNICEF urgently needs $400 million to sustain and scale up critical life-saving health, nutrition, water, sanitation, learning and protection assistance to the most vulnerable children caught in this crisis over the next 100 days.
Media contacts Ammar Ammar Regional Chief of Communication and Advocacy UNICEF Amman Tel: +962 7 91837388 Email: aammar@unicef.org Salim Oweis Regional Communication Chief (OIC) MENARO Email: soweis@unicef.org
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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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08 March 2024
Enhancing the capacities of women in agriculture in Sudan
“I am feeling happy because I no longer have to buy maize from the market to feed my children” she said., Hawa is one of about 150 other women farmers in the area called Al-Saffarah in Al-Qalabat, about 20 kilometers southeast of Gedaref state. According to FAO -Women represent 49% of the farmers in the irrigated sector and 57% in the rainfed traditional sector in Sudan. Women in the rainfed sector are primarily subsistence farmers but they also work as seasonal wage labourers in the rainfed mechanized sector, and as hired or unpaid family labourers in the irrigated sector. Although women play a crucial role in agriculture, contributing to both the GDP and to household food security, their contribution to agriculture and the overall economic development process continues to be undervalued.Hawa comes from a poor background with nine family members. She rented land and grew agricultural produce to protect herself and her family from hunger and misery. She used to produce about 3 bags of sorghum per year, but she couldn’t plant for two years due to the difficult economic conditions. In 2023, Hawawas finally able to plant after receiving seeds and agriculture equipment from UN WOMEN in collaboration with FAO and AICS under the WE_RISE project... She planted about one and a half hectares and harvestedfour bags of a sorghum in 2024. Hawa added that the biggest challenge for her was the weed called “Buda”, which is common in the area. She had a lot of trouble fighting and eradicating it and preventing its harvest until the end of the season.Hawa is one of the beneficiaries of the WE_ RISE project, having received seeds along with 30 other women farmers in her village as part of a program funded by the European Union aim to create an environment that promotes the economic empowerment of women living in the most basic conditions in the States of Khartoum, Kassala, Gedaref and the Blue Sea.D. Awatif Nahar, Economist and Gender specialist said, “The increase in the productivity in the current humanitarian crisis is substantial to reducing the food insecurity risk and enhancing the local economy growth”.The program also aims to encourage women's economic empowerment, contribute to gender equality and women's rights by promoting social health and strengthening national capacities.
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08 March 2024
A Celebration of Women Who Stayed to Serve-Sudan
Women continue to play a critical role in the recovery and reconstruction of Sudan despite being the largest population disproportionately affected by the protracted conflict. To date, the conflict has displaced and impacted 8.1 million people out of which 69% are women, which amounts to 12.4% of the total population of Sudan. Though a grave situation in the country, the women’s resilience has not been waived. One inspiring success story of a woman working in a conflict-affected area is about Nada Bashir, a project manager for UNOPS in Sudan. Nada’s journey is a testament to the resilience, courage, and commitment of women. Nada Graduated from Khartoum University with an Architectural Engineer and has more than 21 years of experience in the field of project management, 9 of which were in UAE where she became the first female to be allowed to work inside the National Drilling Company site. She is passionate about project management and was the first Sudanese Project Management Professional holder since 2005 (Colorado - USA).In 2021, Nada decided to go back to Sudan as she became increasingly aware of the challenges faced by women and children in her country. At that time she hadn't even secured any job - but her decision was based on her passion and interest in serving the people of Sudan. After the war broke out in 2023, despite the danger and the challenge, she kept working and was determined to make a difference in her community. “I knew my people were in need more than ever, so I decided to continue working as long as the situation allows me,” Nada says. With a unique combination of technical competencies and managerial abilities acquired during demanding roles in complex multi-million construction projects, Nada is currently focused on health infrastructure. To address the inadequate health infrastructure in Kassala, UNOPS Sudan and the Italian Government have been working together to implement a $10.5 million project. In 2023, UNOPS rehabilitated the diagnostic centre, renovated the blood bank, and constructed the Saudi Maternity Hospital’s new technical building as well as its public facilities blocks. With a population of around 2.8 million, Kassala town serves as the capital of Kassala State in Eastern Sudan. As a result of civil unrest, Kassala state is currently receiving an increasing number of IDPs which is growing daily. “When the war erupted, I had two open sites with unfinished works. Mobilizing the contractors to complete the work was not an easy task. In addition to the psychological pressures, we didn't have an internet connection, telephone lines were cut off, and much more… Against all odds, we managed to complete and hand over the first phase of the project. These health facilities are the main and only facilities of its nature which are currently serving not only Kassala residents but more than 175,000 IDPs. Now when I see the smiles of the facilities managers and the satisfaction of the beneficiaries while using those completed buildings, I couldn't be happier!” Nada proudly says. She continues explaining: “You know that out of the 2.8 million beneficiaries, 24.8% are women, 15% are children below five years old, and 4.9% are people living with disabilities - I believe I have not only contributed to the success of the project but also saved the lives of countless women and children. The project has contributed to the broader goal of rebuilding a more resilient and inclusive society in Kasalah, Sudan.” “I say to all the women out there working in a challenging environment, believe in what you are doing, and no matter how difficult it is, it is not impossible,” Nada concludes. Going forward, UNOPS will complete the General Surgery Unit, operation theaters and construction of the two main roads of the Kassala Health Citadel with external pavement and rehabilitation of the external areas between the blood bank and the diagnostic centre.
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27 February 2024
As Sudan’s war rages, fallout spreads to nearby countries
Marie-Helena Laurent. Eloge Mbaihondoum and Elizabeth Bryant Kadidja Abakar is haunted by the people she left behind, after fleeing her home in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region. “We saw dead bodies along the way,” recalls the mother of six. “The wounded lay in their blood, crying for help. But there was nobody to assist them.” Today, Abakar and her children are safe, after having crossed into eastern Chad last July. Other family members have since joined them at an overcrowded tent camp in the border town of Adre. But that is their only comfort. Tens of thousands of fellow Sudanese refugees in Adre lack water, shelter and proper hygiene. There is just one latrine for every 300 or more people.
And while the World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed food and nutrition assistance to hundreds of thousands of people arriving here from Sudan, funding cuts and impending rains – cutting off access to remote places – may dramatically shrink that support. “Only the luckiest have one meal a day,” says Abakar, her brightly colored gown contrasting sharply with the desolate desert landscape. “I can’t imagine how our situation would be if WFP stopped distributing food in the camp.” The dearth of funds – also faced by other humanitarian partners – is deepening and widening the nearly year-old Sudan crisis. Fighting that erupted and spread from capital Khartoum last April has uprooted nearly 8 million people. Of those, some 1.8 million have fled to neighboring countries, mostly to Chad and South Sudan. While WFP has mounted a massive humanitarian response, the funding crunch is now forcing us to cut assistance to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in both countries. “The impact of this conflict spans three countries – Sudan, South Sudan and Chad - and has created the world’s largest displacement crisis,” said WFP Michael Dunford, WFP’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa, during a recent visit to the South Sudanese border town of Renk. “The children and women who are crossing to South Sudan or Chad are hungry and arriving with no resources.”Nothing to eat Chad has seen its refugee population double over the past year, with more than half-a-million people crossing the border from Sudan. Many arrive injured and acutely hungry, with horrific tales of their journeys and the war. Like Abakar, a large chunk come from Darfur, just across the border.“Armed men hit us and chased us. They burnt our homes and stole all our belongings,” says grandmother Macka Adam, who fled the West Darfur city of El-Geneina. Her brother and a cousin died in the unrest. Other family members went missing. “Until now, we don’t know what has happened to them,” she says.
WFP distributes cereals, pulses, iodized salt and oil to the new arrivals, as well as specialized nutritious food to young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women. But insufficient financing has forced us to cut food assistance to more than 300,000 hungry people, including longstanding refugees from other parts of Africa. Without new funds, those cuts will affect even more people, including those who fled Sudan. The consequences could be catastrophic. Already, some 2.9 million people are projected to face acute hunger in Chad during the lean season between harvests this year, expert findings show – the highest level ever recorded for that period. The refugee population in eastern Chad, along with other fragile communities, counts among the most vulnerable. Funds are needed swiftly so WFP can position food ahead of June rains, which risk cutting off routes to remote communities.“To avoid disaster, we urgently need US$224 million to build up food stocks before rising rivers cut off roads,” said Pierre Honnorat, WFP’s Country Director in Chad.In Adre, refugee Abakar sold the few belongings she arrived with to help feed her large family. But those funds quickly ran out. Even with WFP food assistance, her children cry from hunger. She is weak from nursing her youngest. “The days when there is nothing to eat are the most difficult,” she says. Fears of a forgotten crisisThe situation is similarly dire in South Sudan. More than half-a-million people have arrived from Sudan since last April. Many are South Sudanese returnees, but increasing numbers are from Sudan. “What we need is food,” says Sudanese refugee Mehida Ibrahim, a mother of three who arrived in Renk, South Sudan’s overcrowded border crossing. “The immediate support we need is to eat, to be able to survive.” These refugees are arriving in a country where WFP has already slashed food rations, as a funding crunch bites. Almost 60 percent of South Sudan’s population faces crisis or worse levels of food insecurity, but we can only support those experiencing the most critical hunger emergency. As the number of refugees and returnees from Sudan continues to grow, it’s putting additional pressure on already-stretched resources. Desperate people are arriving to face a desperate context. “People crossing the border into South Sudan are exhausted,” says Aachal Chand, WFP's head of nutrition and school feeding in South Sudan. “They are really desperate for assistance. They are desperate for a safe place to escape the crisis in Sudan.” Despite the funding constraints, WFP continues to provide fortified biscuits and enough cash assistance for a week, as well as nutrition support for women and young children. But many people are staying in Renk far longer than the week our cash support covers. Malnutrition deepens the longer they stay, running through their resources. Indeed, the Sudanese arrivals account for more than one-third of those facing catastrophic hunger in South Sudan – even though they make up only 3 percent of the total population. “Sudan and its impact on South Sudan are becoming forgotten,” Chand says of international attention, as other calamities capture news headlines. “We must make sure we do not forget this crisis.” Such fears are also expressed in Chad, where grandmother Macka Adam worries about relatives still caught up in Sudan’s fighting – and about the future. “Even if I’ve found security and peace in Chad,” she says, “my heart is still in Sudan.”
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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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Story
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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Press Release
28 April 2024
Note to Correspondents: On Sudan (the situation in El Fasher)
The Rapid Support Forces are reportedly encircling El Fasher, suggesting a coordinated move to attack the city may be imminent. Simultaneously, the Sudanese Armed Forces appear to be positioning themselves.An attack on the city would have devastating consequences for the civilian population. This escalation of tensions is in an area already on the brink of famine.The Secretary-General reiterates his call on all Parties to refrain from fighting in the El Fasher area.The Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, is engaging with the Parties to de-escalate tensions in El Fasher.****************************New YorkOffice of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
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Press Release
28 April 2024
Türk expresses grave concern at escalating violence in El-Fasher
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is gravely concerned by the escalating violence in and around El-Fasher city, North Darfur, where dozens of people have been killed in the past two weeks as hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified. Reports indicate that both parties have launched indiscriminate attacks using explosive weapons with wide-area effects, such as mortar shells and rockets fired from fighter jets, in residential districts.At least 43 people, among them women and children, were killed as fighting was taking place between the SAF and RSF – backed by their respective allied militia – since 14 April, when the RSF began its push into El-Fasher.Civilians are trapped in the city, the only one in Darfur still in the hands of the SAF, afraid of being killed should they attempt to flee. This dire situation is compounded by a severe shortage of essential supplies as deliveries of commercial goods and humanitarian aid have been heavily constrained by the fighting, and delivery trucks are unable to freely transit through RSF-controlled territory.Since early April, the RSF has conducted several large-scale attacks on the villages in western El-Fasher mostly inhabited by the African Zaghawa ethnic community. RSF has burned down some of the villages, including Durma, Umoshosh, Sarafaya, and Ozbani. Such attacks raise the spectre of further ethnically motivated violence in Darfur, including mass killings. Last year fighting and attacks between the Rizeigat and the African Masalit in West Darfur left hundreds of civilians dead or injured, and thousands displaced from their homes.The High Commissioner calls for an immediate de-escalation of this catastrophic situation, and an end to the conflict that has ravaged the country for more than a year now. He also calls for an investigation into all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and international humanitarian law with a view to ensuring accountability and victims’ rights to truth, justice and reparations. He urges both parties to the conflict and their allies to grant civilians safe passage to other areas, ensure the protection of civilians and civilian objects, and facilitate safe and unhindered humanitarian access.For more information and media requests, please contact:In GenevaJeremy Laurence - +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org or
Ravina Shamdasani - +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.orgIn NairobiSeif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org
Ravina Shamdasani - +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.orgIn NairobiSeif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org
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Press Release
28 April 2024
Scourge of sexual violence amid ongoing conflict demands urgent response
NEW YORK: After one year of hostilities in Sudan, we are appealing for more international engagement to combat sexual violence against women and girls in the country. These barbaric acts, which echo the horrors witnessed in Darfur two decades ago, must spur immediate action.As members of the Security Council meet this week for the annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence, we urge them to send an unequivocal message: Under international humanitarian law, civilians in Sudan must be protected and must never be subjected to acts of sexual violence, which constitute war crimes.Reports of sexual violence reveal the war's disproportionate impact on women and girls. Allegations of rape, forced marriages, sexual slavery, and trafficking of women and girls -- especially in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan -- continue to be recorded. Millions of civilians are especially at risk as they flee conflict areas in search of shelter, inside Sudan and in neighbouring countries.However, the true scale of this crisis remains unseen, a result of severe underreporting due to stigma, fear of reprisals, and a lack of confidence in national institutions.Without increased political and financial support for the vital work of frontline responders -- especially organisations led by women -- access to life-saving services will only continue to shrink. Fully funding this year's Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Sudan -- currently only 10 per cent funded -- will help to support survivors, while bolstering the United Nations' Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Multi-Partner Trust Fund is essential to strengthen the response.Building on the solidarity demonstrated at last week's International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its Neighbours in Paris, we must continue to shore up our support for the people of Sudan -- critically by combating sexual violence in all its forms and ensuring that Sudanese frontline responders stay at the centre of those efforts.**NOTE TO THE EDITORS: **Please find the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Sudan here and the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Multi-Partner Trust Fund here.For media inquiries, please contact:Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict:Geraldine Boezio (geraldine.boezio@un.org)Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:Eri Kaneko (kaneko@un.org)
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Press Release
15 April 2024
IOM: 20,000 People Displaced Daily One Year into Sudan War, IOM Urges Action
The report shows that 53 per cent of those displaced are children under 18, highlighting the vulnerability and immense challenges faced by the younger generation who are often the most affected by conflicts and displacement. More than 8.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes over the past year as fighting spreads in the country including many who were previously displaced multiple times. “Sudan is on a tragically fast track to becoming one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises in decades, and the conflict that has engulfed the country is creating pressure throughout the region. Millions of people are displaced, hungry and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, but their plight is being ignored by too much of the world,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope in Paris where she is attending the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its Neighbours. “We implore international leaders to rise to the moment, help us bring humanitarian aid to Sudan and use their influence to help bring peace.” As the war in Sudan enters its second year, IOM urges stronger international action to bring the fighting to an end and significantly boost funding for humanitarian operations to respond to the mounting needs. The situation in Sudan, already the largest internal displacement crisis globally, is further worsened by the critically underfunded humanitarian response. Only 5 percent of the USD 2.7 billion Humanitarian Response Plan seeking to reach 14.7 million people has been secured. This shortfall risks further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. Since war broke out, 6.6 million people have been forcibly displaced within Sudan. The war has also disrupted economic activity and cut supply and aid lines, leading to food insecurity of a massive scale with about 5 million people on the brink of famine. The massive influx of people seeking safety from the horrors of war is putting incredible strain on infrastructure and services, exacerbating food shortages further. Women and girls are facing increased risks of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and access to food. Humanitarians have been facing immense challenges in accessing communities in need, especially in heavy fighting zones in Khartoum, Darfur, Kordofan and Aj-Jazirah, further exacerbating needs and difficulties. In neighbouring countries where some 2 million people have crossed from Sudan, the crisis is severely straining states’ capacities to cope with the inflows of refugees, returnees and third-country nationals. So far, the number of arrivals in the neighbouring countries include 730,550 in Chad, 629,902 in South Sudan, 514,827 in Egypt, 119,525 in Ethiopia, 29,444 in the Central Africa Republic, and 7,620 in Libya. IOM continues to deliver immediate and life-saving assistance. To date, IOM has reached over 2 million people in need with essential multisectoral assistance across Sudan and neighbouring countries, including over 1.6 million inside Sudan. IOM calls for increased humanitarian funding to meet the growing needs and to ensure the delivery of life-saving assistance and essential services to the displaced individuals and host communities. Additionally, efforts should be made to strengthen resilience, build local capacities, promote Peace and durable solutions for the affected populations. Resources One Year of Conflict in Sudan: Visualizing the World's Largest Displacement CrisisIOM’s Response Overview Sudan Crisis and Neighbouring Countries 2024 ***For more information: In Geneva: media@iom.int; In Port Sudan: Lisa George at lgeorge@iom.int; In Cairo: Tamim Elyan at telyan@iom.int
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Press Release
15 April 2024
OHCHR: One year on, Türk warns of further escalation
“The Sudanese people have been subjected to untold suffering during the conflict which has been marked by indiscriminate attacks in densely populated areas, ethnically-motivated attacks, and a high incidence of conflict-related sexual violence. The recruitment and use of children by parties to the conflict are also deeply concerning,” said Türk.“Civilians have already suffered immensely and with reports over the weekend of an imminent attack on El-Fasher, North Darfur, there is an alarming risk of further violations and abuses against civilians amid a still worsening humanitarian crisis across the country. The fighting must end.”Three armed groups have said they are joining the conflict on the side of the Sudanese Armed Forces, and there are reports that both they and the Rapid Support Forces are now arming civilians. Arrest warrants recently issued against leading civilian figures, including former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, on charges that do not appear to be substantiated and some of which carry the death penalty, also risk exacerbating the situation.“To give a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict a chance, a contraction rather than an expansion in the number of armed actors is needed,” said Türk.“Additionally, any moves to curtail the participation of civilian political leaders in the conduct of public affairs, including by threat of arrest, are counterproductive and must be abandoned.“The Sudanese authorities must immediately revoke the arrest warrants against Hamdok and other civilian leaders and prioritize confidence-building measures towards a ceasefire as a first step, followed by a comprehensive resolution of the conflict and the restoration of a civilian government,” he added.Since fighting broke out on 15 April 2023, thousands of civilians have been killed, injured, forcibly disappeared, arbitrarily arrested and detained. There have also been reports of torture committed by both parties. Thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and other essential civilian infrastructure have been destroyed, plunging the country into a severe humanitarian crisis, and creating the world’s largest displacement crisis.“Over eight million people have been displaced from their homes, more than two million of them to neighbouring countries. Nearly 18 million people face acute food insecurity, 14 million of them children, and over 70 percent of hospitals are no longer functional amid a rise in infectious diseases. This catastrophic situation must not be allowed to continue,” said the High Commissioner.Türk called on all parties to ensure humanitarian and human rights workers are allowed safe and unhindered access to all areas under their respective control. They must also take meaningful steps to prevent further civilian suffering and ensure violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws are fully investigated and those found responsible held to account in fair trials and victims provided with reparations.The High Commissioner decried the enduring pattern of arbitrary arrests and detention, as well as intimidation and threats against civil society representatives, human rights defenders and journalists, among others.“There can be no sustainable pathway forward for Sudan without the participation of civil society organizations, who notably have done a commendable job in support of human rights under exceedingly difficult circumstances since the conflict began,” he said.Türk urged all parties to cooperate with the Designated Expert on the human rights situation in Sudan, Radhouane Nouicer, and the Fact-Finding Mission established by the UN Human Rights Council. Sudanese authorities should grant them access to Sudan.For more information and media requests, please contact:In Geneva
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Jeremy Laurence +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org In Nairobi
Seif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Jeremy Laurence +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org In Nairobi
Seif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org
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Latest Resources
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Resources
16 June 2022
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