UN relief chief: The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is reaching breaking point

Sudanese refugees shelter under trees in neighbouring Chad, after thousands sought safety since fierce fighting erupted in Khartoum and across Sudan on 15 April, 2023 UNHCR

Statement by Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, ahead of trip to the region

Two weeks since clashes erupted in Khartoum and around Sudan, the humanitarian situation is reaching breaking point.

Goods essential for people’s survival are becoming scarce in the hardest-hit urban centres, especially Khartoum, and families are struggling to access water, food, fuel and other critical commodities. The cost of transportation out of worst-hit areas has risen exponentially, leaving the most vulnerable unable to locate to safer areas.

Access to urgent health care, including for those injured in the violence, is severely constrained, raising the risk of preventable death.

The toll on mental health, especially for children and young people, is unfathomable.

The United Nations and our partners are doing our best to reboot the humanitarian response in the country. Massive looting of the offices and warehouses of humanitarian organizations has depleted most of our supplies. We are exploring urgent ways to bring in and distribute additional supplies.

A shipment with five containers of intravenous fluids and other emergency supplies is docked in Port Sudan, awaiting clearance by the authorities.

Tens of thousands of people have fled Sudan and are seeking safety in the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya and South Sudan, often among already vulnerable communities. Under the leadership of the UN Refugee Agency, we are working with host governments and supporting local partners to help meet their immediate needs.

The scale and speed of what is unfolding in Sudan is unprecedented. We are extremely concerned by the immediate as well as long-term impact on all people in Sudan and the broader region.

At the request of the United Nations Secretary-General, I am on my way to the region to explore how we can bring immediate relief to the millions of people whose lives have turned upside down overnight.

However, the obvious solution to this crisis is to stop the fighting.

My message to the parties is unequivocal: Protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. Ensure safe passage for civilians fleeing areas of hostilities. Respect humanitarian workers and assets. Facilitate relief operations. Respect medical personnel, transport and facilities and stop using them as shields.