Statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. in Sudan, Abdou Dieng (24 May 2023) [EN/AR]

A critical time requiring support for humanitarian action at all levels

(Port Sudan, 24 May 2023): The escalating violence over the past five weeks in Sudan has had a catastrophic impact on civilians, leading to a dire humanitarian situation. Hundreds have lost their lives and over 5,000 men, women and children have been injured since 15 April. Around 1.3 million people have been displaced inside and outside the country, and millions more are confined to their homes, unable to access vital services while civilian infrastructure and markets face damage and destruction.

Recent fighting in West Darfur has included heavy artillery and indiscriminate shooting in residential areas, and target targeting of health-care facilities. In the capital, Ag Geneina, 86 sites to provide safety, shelter and services to the displaced have been burnt to the ground, forcing over 85,000 people to shelter with relatives and friends, in public buildings or on the streets. Markets, electricity and other utilities are similarly destroyed or non-functional, increasing humanitarian needs while limiting humanitarian access.

As a result of continued violence such as this, an estimated 24.7 million people, or half of the population of Sudan, require urgent humanitarian assistance and protection, a sharp 57 per cent increase from the number in need at the beginning of 2023.

The international humanitarian community is ready to ramp up the delivery of aid to address the immense and growing humanitarian needs, in partnership with local aid organizations and civilian groups. So far, humanitarian partners have provided food for over 500,000 people across several states since the beginning of May, in addition to providing water, health care and hygiene support to hundreds of thousands of displaced people, among other support, where access to people in need has been possible.

The recent signing on 20 May by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces of the ceasefire for the safe movement of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid is a positive development that provides the opportunity, for seven days, to deliver life-saving supplies and repair essential infrastructure. The humanitarian community welcomes this step and is mobilizing to reach as many people as it can during the time that the ceasefire is respected.

As of today, humanitarian partners are ready to deliver assistance to over 4 million people in need through 89 planned movements. I therefore urge the relevant authorities to take all steps possible to ensure they provide the security environment and the ease of bureaucratic impediments at local and national level to allow aid workers to move supplies swiftly and safely. These efforts are necessary to provide the people who are suffering the most with critical and much-deserved life-saving assistance.

Note to editors:

On 17 May, humanitarian partners launched a Revised Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023, due to the escalating violence across the country since 15 April. The Plan seeks $2.6 billion to reach 18.1 million people with food, water and sanitation, protection services and other life-saving assistance.

For further information, please contact:

Guiomar Pau Sole, OCHA – Head of Communications, pausole@un.org