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01 Video story


STATEMENT BY THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENT AND HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR SUDAN,
CLEMENTINE NKWETA-SALAMI, ON THE UNITED NATIONS DAY


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02 WHO trains health workers on rehabilitation in conflict
02 Story


WHO TRAINS HEALTH WORKERS ON REHABILITATION IN CONFLICT

WHO, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of
Social Development, delivered a five-day training course on rehabilitation in
conf

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03 UN deputy chief appeals for global solidarity as crises roil East Africa
03 Story


UN DEPUTY CHIEF APPEALS FOR GLOBAL SOLIDARITY AS CRISES ROIL EAST AFRICA

The suffering of the people in this country is one of the worst crises in the
world today

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01 Statement by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for
Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, on the United Nations Day


LATEST

Press Release

04 November 2024

Sudan rolls out first malaria vaccines

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Press Release

01 November 2024

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Sudan

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Press Release

29 October 2024

Displacement in Sudan Crosses 11 Million as Devastating Crisis Reaches New
Heights: IOM Chief 

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LATEST

Press Release

01 November 2024

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Sudan

Learn more
Press Release

29 October 2024

Displacement in Sudan Crosses 11 Million as Devastating Crisis Reaches New
Heights: IOM Chief 

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Press Release

04 November 2024

Sudan rolls out first malaria vaccines

Learn more
Press Release

01 November 2024

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Sudan

Learn more
Press Release

29 October 2024

Displacement in Sudan Crosses 11 Million as Devastating Crisis Reaches New
Heights: IOM Chief 

Learn more
Press Release

04 November 2024

Sudan rolls out first malaria vaccines

Learn more
Press Release

01 November 2024

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Sudan

Learn more
Press Release

29 October 2024

Displacement in Sudan Crosses 11 Million as Devastating Crisis Reaches New
Heights: IOM Chief 

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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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Featured Stories Press Releases
Publication
29 September 2024
Women and girls of Sudan: Fortitude amid the flame of war
This publication provides a detailed analysis of the ongoing humanitarian crisis
in Sudan, focusing on its disproportionate impact on women and girls. As the
country faces the largest internal displacement since the Syrian civil war,
millions of Sudanese, particularly women and children, are grappling with severe
challenges.This report highlights key data on displacement, malnutrition, lack
of access to healthcare, gender-based violence, and food insecurity. It also
explores how deeply entrenched gender inequality exacerbates the vulnerabilities
of female-headed households and the critical barriers women face in accessing
essential resources. It also offers a comprehensive overview of the
socio-economic and health impacts on women and girls, drawing from recent
assessments and data.The report emphasizes the need for targeted humanitarian
interventions. We consider it as an essential resource for understanding the
gender dimensions of Sudan’s humanitarian crisis and calls for focused action to
mitigate its effects.
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Speech
25 September 2024
Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan calls for end of hostilities, protection of
civilians, and unimpeded access
Port Sudan -- As world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly in
New York, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Clementine
Nkweta-Salami, urged Member States and the international community to focus on
the plight of millions of people in Sudan who have endured more than 17 months
of brutal conflict, which has resulted in the world’s fastest-growing civilian
displacement and humanitarian crisis.“Humanitarians across Sudan are calling on
the international community to step up to end the devastating conflict and
ensure unrestricted access so that more than 150 aid organizations operating in
the country can reach the millions of people facing acute hunger and disease –
and staring down famine,” Ms. NkwetaSalami said.The crisis in Sudan and the
region will take centre stage at UN Headquarters on Wednesday, 25 September,
when Member States join together with the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Refugee Agency, to call for urgent and
collective support to address the humanitarian catastrophe and push for
peace.“This is exactly why the UN was created: to prevent war and alleviate
human suffering,” the Humanitarian Coordinator added. "Each passing hour means
women and children in parts of El Fasher, Khartoum, Aj Jazirah, Sennar and other
areas directly affected by conflict are likely dying from hostilities,
malnutrition, or illness.”Since the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed
Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, an estimated
20,000 people have been killed and thousands of others injured. More than 10
million people – or over one in every five people – have fled their homes,
including 8.1 million who have been displaced within Sudan and another 2.4
million who crossed the borders to neighbouring and other countries.In recent
days, at least 1,500 people were displaced from El Fasher, capital of North
Darfur State following the escalation of hostilities in the town. “Once again, I
urge the parties to halt attacks on civilians, homes and essential facilities,
such as hospitals, which are protected under the international humanitarian
law,” Ms. Nkweta-Salami said.The situation in and around El Fasher is of
particular concern, after the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food
Security Phase Classification confirmed famine conditions in the Zamzam
displacement camp in August. Another 13 areas, including two other displacement
camps in North Darfur, are likely experiencing similar conditions and need
urgent access and assistance.Meanwhile, the outbreak of cholera and incidences
of water or vector-borne diseases are aggravating the already dire situation
that malnourished people, especially children and women, are facing. According
to the Sudanese authorities, the number of cholera cases reported over the past
two months has reached 13,300, including 415 related deaths.Despite insecurity,
access and funding challenges, humanitarian partners provided more than 8
million people across Sudan with some form of humanitarian assistance this year.
Over the past week, humanitarian organizations started distributing emergency
food aid for about 180,000 people in Zamzam camp.Meanwhile, following the
re-opening of the Adre border point between Chad and Sudan, UN aid agencies have
moved 135 trucks with essential life-saving supplies for about 520,000 people
via the crossing. “The aid through Adre and food for people in Zamzam camp,
where famine has been confirmed, are a testament to what the UN and humanitarian
partners can accomplish,” the Humanitarian Coordinator said. “However,
unrestricted access and additional funding are critical to reach more people in
acute need.”Nine months into the year, the Sudan humanitarian appeal, seeking
US$2.7 billion, is less than 50 per cent funded. This is constraining and
limiting the response efforts of the UN, international and national NGOs on the
ground, including in Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan and other areas.
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Press Release
01 September 2024
Deputy Secretary-General's press encounter at the conclusion of her visit to
Sudan
 Thank you very much, and we very much appreciate the one day that we have had
here in the Port of Sudan, where we have met with the Government, and we have
met with many stakeholders. The visit has been at the opportunity of the
Government opening up the border in Adre. The humanitarian task that we have in
Sudan has been very big. It has been one that we have been consistently
supporting the Government to try to address the crisis in the country.The many
atrocities that we have seen [inaudible] upon men, women, children, especially,
and for that, we wanted to come to speak and to support the Government in
keeping that border open and aid to the people that need it most across the
country. But in this particular case, this new opening gave us another
opportunity.The second, of course, is to bring the international community again
to see the visibility of the crisis here in Sudan. It is a huge one. There are
many people suffering. It requires enormous support for commitments that have
been made to the humanitarian cause, but have to be fulfilled, and they have to
be done urgently.We have impending crisis around famine. We are not getting
medical supplies in where there are health crises. But more importantly, we have
to remember the suffering of the people, and we are here to do this with the
Government of Sudan.So that really has been the main reason for coming here.
This is not outside of the political processes that are being supported by the
United Nations and the Personal Envoy to the Secretary-General, but we would
like all of them to happen at the same time, because, of course, the suffering
of the people in this country is one of the worst crises in the world
today. Question: Was there any discussion about the negotiations between SAF and
RSF?Deputy Secretary-General: The discussions that we had with the President and
with members of his cabinet were principally around the humanitarian agenda and
the urgency of this. Of course, there were discussions to say that, agreed, is
the Jeddah process, and that is one that must be actioned, and we must try to do
that as urgently as possible. There is consensus there, and there is no reason
why that cannot be moved forward.Question: Has there been any progress on
agreeing on the procedures for entering Adre?Deputy Secretary-General: Yes,
there has. What we have done is to sit down with the humanitarian aid
commission, and then we have had discussions on how, first of all, not to stop
any of the aid that is available right now going in. But in parallel, to address
legitimate concerns of the government and put in procedures that would ensure
this aid gets to people where it's meant to.Question: Did you receive any
commitment from the Sudan Government to open other borders for aid delivery?
Because humanitarians are always speaking about others cross borders, with South
Sudan, etc.Deputy Secretary-General: There are many border posts that have
already been opened. I believe Adre makes it 11, if I'm not mistaken. That's a
number of border openings. What we have to do is to match the openings of these
borders with the aid that goes in, and that means resources, and so we need
those resources, and we need them now so that we can contend with what we have.
As I said, there are many challenges to getting aid to where they are needed. It
will be also remiss of me not to say that we have also in consideration, the
refugees and the crisis also in Chad. There are many refugees in Chad, and of
course, to get through to Adre, you are in Chad.  So we're also looking at that.
Thank you.
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Story
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
31 October 2024
WHO trains health workers on rehabilitation in conflict
Since the onset of the war in Sudan in April 2023, many thousands of people have
been injured, creating an enormous surge in complex life-changing injuries that
require rehabilitation care. The non-conflict related needs for rehabilitation,
such as for those who have experienced a stroke or for children with disability,
remain or have increased due to consequences of displacement. Accessing
rehabilitation services has become more complex while the need has grown. Many
rehabilitation services, including the National Prosthetics and Orthotics Centre
in Khartoum, have closed or are inaccessible. The war has severely disrupted
those that remain, and much of the workforce has been displaced. Facilities
cannot obtain materials and equipment needed to carry out their work, and
assistive products such as wheelchairs and crutches are scarce.World Health
Assembly resolution 76.6 reaffirmed that rehabilitation is an essential health
service in emergencies. Not accessing or delayed access to rehabilitation
services can have severe consequences for patients, resulting in secondary
complications and preventable disability. Conversely, with early access to
quality rehabilitation services, the length of hospital stay can be reduced,
complications prevented or minimized, an individual’s independence optimized,
and participation in community life enhanced. As a direct result, rehabilitation
is a wise investment amid conflict, reducing the cost of ongoing care,
optimizing patient outcomes, and supporting individuals to participate in
education and employment.Even before the onset of conflict, rehabilitation
services in Sudan were fragmented and poorly integrated into the health system.
They were mostly only available to those able to pay out of pocket and primarily
only available in the Capital, Khartoum, which is now at the centre of the
conflict. Now, the need for rehabilitation services in Sudan has never been
greater, and each rehabilitation professional is a precious resource for the
health system.In May 2024, WHO, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of
Health and the Ministry of Social Development, delivered a five-day training
course on rehabilitation in conflict in Port Sudan. The training included
practical sessions on prioritizing patients, clinical scenarios, and an in-depth
overview of managing complex patients in low-resource settings, such as burns
and spinal cord injuries. The training course was the first of its kind to be
run by WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and it is hoped it can be used
as a model to roll out similar training across the region in conflict
settings.Participants thanked WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health for the
opportunity to be trained on rehabilitation care in conflict settings,
especially when their country is undergoing conflict and such skills are
urgently needed.Both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social
Development expressed their appreciation for the World Health Organization's
efforts in conducting the inaugural joint workshop on rehabilitation in
conflict. They emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration in this
critical area, especially in light of the country's current crisis.The training
included a simulation exercise on managing a surge of injured persons needing
early acute rehabilitation at a hospital. The exercise required course
participants to work as a team to respond to the event using their existing and
newly acquired trauma rehabilitation skills in a realistic mock scenario.
Following the training, participants and local stakeholders developed a roadmap
and action plan to scale up essential rehabilitation services during the
conflict.Hala Khudari, Deputy WHO Representative ai to Sudan, reaffirmed the
organization’s commitment to supporting trauma care as part of its emergency
health response in Sudan. “WHO has been providing supplies for trauma management
and emergency surgery since the start of the conflict. We have also conducted
trainings on mass casualty management,” she said. “Rehabilitation is an integral
part of trauma care, and we are not only pleased to be conducting this inaugural
training but also remain committed to collaborating with our partners to provide
the necessary support for the implementation of rehabilitation care in Sudan.”
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Story
01 September 2024
UN deputy chief appeals for global solidarity as crises roil East Africa
Spotlighting crises roiling parts of eastern Africa, the UN deputy chief
concluded a regional visit in Adré, Chad, on Friday, calling for global
solidarity to tackle famine in Sudan, flooding and mass displacement while
ensuring free-flowing aid for millions trapped in war zones and those fleeing
for their lives. Chad hosts more than 1.1 million refugees, many escaping
violence in Sudan, where rival militaries have been fighting since April 2023.
At the same time, the war has also triggered colossal suffering within Sudan’s
borders.“The humanitarian task that we have in Sudan has been very big,” UN
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said. “It has been one that we have been
consistently supporting the government to try to address the crisis. The
suffering of the people in this country is one of the worst crises in the world
today.”Ms. Mohammed met officials in Chad and announced $5 million allocation
from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) as part of a rapid response
towards supporting flood recovery efforts, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric
told reporters at UN Headquarters on Friday.Region in crisisChad and
neighbouring Sudan have been grappling with multiple crises. That includes the
ongoing Sudanese war and recent floods affecting 960,000 people in Chad and
310,000 in Sudan, according to UN agencies.Discussions between the UN deputy
chief and local authorities in Chad centred on the complex challenges facing the
country, including regional dynamics and key risks, and highlighted “the urgent
need for global solidarity”, the UN Spokesperson said.Reaffirming the UN’s
commitment, Ms. Mohammed called for “maximum solidarity and resources” to ensure
the humanitarian response fulfills its mandate and supports the people of the
region, urging parties “to invest more in saving lives and livelihoods”.‘Vital
lifeline for aid delivery’While in Chad, Ms. Mohammed observed the humanitarian
corridor operation at the newly opened Adré crossing point into Sudan and
engaged with refugee representatives, women, youth and community leaders,
welcoming the recent opening as “a positive step” towards providing lifesaving
aid in Sudan.“This crossing is a vital lifeline for aid delivery to millions in
Sudan and must remain open and accessible to facilitate large-scale humanitarian
assistance while ensuring the safety of aid workers,” according to the UN
Spokesperson.Shuttered for one year, this humanitarian corridor will allow UN
agencies to scale up assistance to 14 areas facing famine in Darfur, Kordofan,
Khartoum and Al Jazirah.‘We need resources now’The UN deputy chief underlined
the critical importance of keeping the border crossing permanently open.The Adré
crossing is the most effective and shortest route to deliver humanitarian
assistance into Sudan – and particularly the Darfur region – at the scale and
speed required to respond to the immense hunger crisis.“What we have to do is to
match the openings of these borders with the aid that goes in, and that means
resources,” she insisted, “and so we need those resources, and we need them
now.”The UN $2.7 billion appeal is only 41 per cent funded.Sudan: War,
displacement and hungerAcross the border, in Sudan, food security experts
recently declared that the war has pushed parts of North Darfur state into
famine, particularly the Zamzam camp, where more than half a million displaced
people are sheltering.About 25.6 million people – over half of the population of
Sudan – face acute hunger, including more than 755,000 people on the brink of
famine and an estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced,
according to UN agenciesWhen visiting Sudan earlier this week, Ms. Mohammed met
with the country’s President and cabinet members, who agreed that the Jeddah
peace process must be implemented swiftly. She emphasised that “there is
consensus there, and there is no reason why that cannot be moved
forward.”However, the discussion largely focussed on the humanitarian agenda and
“the urgency of this”, she told reporters at a press conference in Port Sudan on
Thursday.She said efforts are addressing the Sudanese Government’s legitimate
concerns and setting up procedures that “would ensure this aid gets to people
where it’s meant.‘Crisis around famine’“We have impending crisis around famine,”
Ms. Mohammed said. “We are not getting medical supplies in where there are
health crises. But, more importantly, we have to remember the suffering of the
people, and we are here to do this with the Government of Sudan.”Ms. Mohammed
met with displaced persons, the UN team as well as with a number of government
officials.“What we have done is to sit down with the humanitarian aid
commission, and then we have had discussions on how, first of all, not to stop
any of the aid that is available right now going in,” she explained. 
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18 August 2024
‘We can still turn the tide against hunger and famine in Sudan’
Hundreds of truckloads of World Food Programme assistance are speeding this
month to the hungriest parts of Sudan, as part of a massively scaled-up response
after famine was confirmed at a camp for displaced people in the country’s
Darfur region.Targeting an initial 3 million people this month, the WFP
food-and-cash support aims to prevent more people from falling into catastrophic
hunger, one of the most horrific fallouts of the conflict in Sudan.  In war-torn
Khartoum, we recently distributed food and nutrition assistance to a hungry
population for the first time in months. WFP is also supporting community
kitchens – neighborhood volunteer groups that have become a vital food lifeline
for Sudanese countrywide, especially in the capital.“We can still turn the tide
against hunger and famine in Sudan,” said WFP Sudan Emergency Coordinator Marco
Calvacante. “We can still make it.”But reaching millions of desperate people
demands unfettered humanitarian access, safe passage, and a massive influx of
funds. Overall, WFP needs US$459 million for its emergency response to support
up to 8.4 million hungry people in Sudan by the end of this year.“We need this
conflict to end. We need unimpeded access to reach those most in need,”
Calvacante said. “We need the attention of the world to focus on Sudan.”Famine
confirmedIn late July, the global standard for measuring food insecurity – the
Integrated Food Phase Classification or IPC – confirmed famine in Zamzam camp,
which houses more than 400,000 displaced people outside the besieged North
Darfur city of El Fasher. This was a first for Sudan, and it's only the third
famine confirmation worldwide since the IPC was first implemented 20 years ago –
13 other areas in the country are at risk of famine in the coming months.“Our
biggest challenge is the continuation of this conflict which hampers our
movement as well as the safe delivery of humanitarian supplies,” said WFP Sudan
Country Director Eddie Rowe. ”We call on the parties for an immediate cessation
of hostilities.”Sudan's is now the world’s largest displacement crisis. Since it
started 16 months ago, the war has triggered a hunger spiral engulfing tens of
millions of people countrywide. The fighting has ravaged Sudanese food
production, destroyed essential markets, and cut off communities large and small
from vital assistance. Along with heavy fighting, the rainy season poses another
major setback in delivering assistance, with flooded roads grounding dozens of
WFP aid trucks.According to IPC figures for June, nearly 26 million Sudanese
face acute food insecurity. Nearly 750,000 people countrywide face catastrophic
food insecurity, the highest hunger level. Roughly 730,000 children are
projected to experience potentially life-threatening severe acute malnutrition
this year. In the Darfur region, WFP Security Officer Khalid Hamdnalla describes
meeting scores of hungry, displaced people during a recent United Nations
interagency mission to assess humanitarian needs.  “We saw whole families,
including children and elders, who don’t have enough food. Some have been
displaced more than three times,” said Hamdnalla of those they met, some of whom
are sheltering in abandoned schools and other government buildings. “Their main
requests were for food, education, sanitation and health services.”“The host
communities are hungry as well,” he adds, “because they’ve shared what they had
with the displaced people.”  The UN mission crossed many armed checkpoints, but
heavy rains proved the biggest challenge, making some wadis, or seasonal rivers,
impassable. “You cannot imagine the road conditions with the rains,” Hamdnalla
says. “There are big wadis, and the current is very fast – it’s very
dangerous.”Few safe optionsIn late July, WFP was able to reach Sudan’s capital
Khartoum for the first time since March, allowing us to deliver two-month
rations of sorghum, lentils, oil and salt to people. Many we reached are elderly
or otherwise unable to flee the conflict’s frontlines. The fighting has reduced
swathes of the city to rubble, including Khartoum’s iconic and all-important
Omdurman market – delivering a blow to the country’s food supply and
economy.Over 90,000 people in the greater Khartoum area are on the brink of
famine; more than 1 million are experiencing emergency hunger levels. Yet people
are trickling back to the capital – not because it is safer, but because there
are few safe options after months on the run.“They starting coming back to their
houses, but unfortunately they don’t have anything inside – they even don’t have
a job because of the war,’ says Khalid Mohamed Elbaghir, a volunteer with one of
Khartoum’s community kitchens. “So we started supplying them with food to make
them stay more easily in this neighborhood.”WFP is supporting neighborhood
kitchens like Elbaghir’s, which provide soup and other staples to city
residents. The overall aim is to distribute up to 140,000 hot meals daily. For
many elderly and other vulnerable people in the capital, it is their only meal
of the day.“Often two or three days passed without us being able to go out and
get food – sometimes we’d be trapped in our homes for a week,” says Maya, a
former tea seller in Khartoum. “If we tried to leave, we would get beaten in the
street and robbed of money and food.”Other Sudanese are seeking safety elsewhere
in the country. Amna Yousif’s family fled their home in war-buffeted Sennar
state, walking and hitching truck rides for eight days before reaching the
relatively secure seaside city of Port Sudan. “We got up at 2 a.m. on a rainy
night, carrying the children in our arms and walking through the night in the
mud,” she recalled of their flight.Today, the family lives in a tent in an
abandoned lot in Port Sudan.“When I left my house I left the okra flourishing
and the molokhia (mallow) ready for harvest,” Yousif recalled of the local
vegetables she grew – and of better times, when her family lived without hunger.
“One of the good things about our village is that when you sow with your hand,
you eat and drink.”WFP’s emergency response in Sudan is made possible through
contributions from our donors including the African Development Bank, Belgium,
Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, the European Commission (ECHO), France, Germany,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, KS Relief, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malta, Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), Netherlands, Norway, South
Korea, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates,
the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund, and the United States of  America.
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Story
20 May 2024
Going the extra mile to stop poliovirus spread
By Proscovia Nakibuuka Mbonye, Sara Awad and WHO Eastern Mediterranean
RegionIt’s day one of the polio vaccination campaign in Sudan’s Red Sea State,
where poliovirus was detected in sewage samples earlier in 2024. At the crack of
dawn, vaccinators set off with their vaccine carriers filled with ice packs and
vials of oral polio vaccine and vitamin A to reach children in their
communities. Their goal: vaccinate every child aged under 5 years in the state
over the 4 days of the campaign.  

Since the conflict in Sudan began, in April 2023, health infrastructure and
immunization services have been disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of children
have been left unvaccinated and at risk of infection from vaccine-preventable
diseases such as polio. This situation is made worse by the displacement of
large numbers of people. 

When news of the positive poliovirus samples was reported, the Federal Ministry
of Health sprang into action with the support of WHO and the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF). After carrying out detailed investigations and risk
assessments, a team of technical experts were deployed to identify various
high-risk areas across Sudan requiring a response.  

By the time the campaign was launched in Red Sea State, communities were well
aware of its aims. Social mobilizers had seized every chance to visit and
sensitize communities to polio vaccination. Messages played on the radio and
from loudspeakers on vehicles echoed across villages, urging parents and
caregivers to vaccinate all children aged under 5 years in the upcoming polio
vaccination campaign. Health teams also worked with partners to reach children
in displaced families. At the Agig Health Centre, Mahmoud, a health worker and
vaccinator for 10 years, collects vaccines for the catchment area he is covering
on day 3 of the campaign.   

He plans to reach the mobile and hard-to-reach communities in Barqiq valley, in
the mountains and along the border with Eritrea, where the nearest health
facility is 40 km away. Until the start of May this year, these mobile
communities will remain in the mountains. Come summer, they will travel to the
countryside of Kassala State.  "With these populations always on the move, there
is a very real possibility that their children may miss out on vaccination
activities,” says Mahmoud. “This means we have no time to waste in reaching
these children."With the vaccines stored safely in cool boxes and vaccine
carriers to maintain the optimum temperature, the team embarks on the journey
from Agig to Barqiq valley. They first travel by car but switch to camels and
donkeys for the last 2 hours, as the roads get rougher and narrower. Drop by
drop, children are protectedWhen Mahmoud and his team arrive, parents and
caregivers are patiently waiting in a makeshift straw-roofed shelter. They all
share one thing in common – the desire to protect their children from
preventable life-threatening diseases.  

Fatima, mother to 4-year-old Mohammed, visited the health centre a few months
ago. While her malnourished child received treatment, she was told about the
upcoming polio campaign. She didn’t think twice about vaccinating her children,
because she knows this is the best gift she can give them.  

“Every time the vaccinators arrive, I take my children out to receive vaccines,
and they are all doing well,” Fatima says. 

Drop after drop, the team administers the oral polio vaccine to one child and
then another, with the aim of protecting all the children in the shelter from
polio. The disease can cause paralysis and even death if children are not
vaccinated enough times. 

By the end of the day, the team had covered 180 children, including 29 infants
aged under 12 months and some zero-dose children, who had never previously
received any vaccines. Impressed by the numbers reached, Mahmoud shares that the
change in behaviour among this community didn’t just happen overnight. It is the
result of years of regular health education efforts by health promoters, health
workers and volunteers.  

“We consistently engaged them through health education and awareness-raising
sessions,” says Mahmoud, speaking of parents and caregivers. “We informed them
that vaccination is a form of protection and provided examples of children from
the community who did not receive vaccinations and how they suffered from
diseases. As a result, they have become more accepting of vaccination.”  

This was also coupled with the engagement of community leaders, like the local
mayor of Barqiq valley, who have since become advocates for child health,
including vaccination drives. 

“These are our people and children, so we make every effort to include them in
the health campaigns and routine immunizations,” says Mahmoud, a front-line hero
for immunization efforts. 

In total, the 4-day Red Sea State campaign provided polio vaccine and vitamin A
to more than 200 000 children aged under 5 years. Similar campaigns in 8 other
high-risk states of Sudan will begin in late May 2024 to ensure that all
vulnerable, accessible children are protected, no matter where they
are. Background to GPEI efforts in SudanAmid the war in Sudan, Global Polio
Eradication Initiative partners such as UNICEF and WHO have supported the
country to prevent the further spread of its polio outbreak.  

  UNICEF is procuring and delivering vaccines and leading social mobilization
activities at the community level to increase uptake of vaccination services. It
is also orienting key campaign stakeholders, such as social mobilizers,
religious and community leaders and the media, on their roles.  

WHO has been technically supporting the development of microplans, the
capacity-building of vaccinators, and intra- and post-campaign monitoring for
vaccination campaigns. This is part of WHO’s ongoing efforts to support
surveillance of poliovirus and the technical response to prevent its spread and
boost children’s immunity, including through the rollout of polio vaccination
campaigns.  
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Story
10 June 2024
Empowering Sudan’s communities to fight malaria
Sudan stands out for its unique social fabric and complex malaria landscape.
Despite the conflict that has raged for more than a year, as well as many
political and economic challenges, Sudan continues to try to respond to malaria.
Community engagement initiatives have proved crucial to this effort.Gedaref
state hosts close to 500 000 internally displaced people and bustles with
volunteers and civil society organizations. Here, efforts by community members
have been vital in navigating the chronic malaria burden and curbing other
epidemics that have ensued since the conflict began in April 2023.For nearly 2
decades, Abdalla Adam, a teacher and farmer from Om Bileil, a malaria-stricken
village in Gedaref, has been at the forefront of community efforts to alleviate
malaria. “Gedaref is synonymous with malaria,” said Abdalla. “We see other
diseases too: kala-azar, polio, cholera and, more recently, dengue and
chikungunya. But these come and go, while malaria has been here for as long as I
can remember.”He explained how community service is a strong part of his
Sudanese upbringing, culture and identity: “My early days with community service
were largely a spontaneous extension of my upbringing. I come from a small
village and nafeer* is customary for us. We would gather to clean the
neighbourhood and spray ponds with insecticides.”Abdalla shared how the scope of
efforts in Om Bileil grew considerably through community awareness raising. Ms
Wejdan Abdulbagi, Manager of the Malaria Control Programme in Gedaref, educated
the community about vector control and the free malaria services at primary
health care centres. People had previously seen cost as a major barrier to
seeking health care for malaria.During vector control campaigns, each member of
Abdalla’s neighbourhood is responsible for spraying the homes of their extended
family. “We also conduct regular health promotion campaigns to spread
life-saving messages, like ‘If you have fever, don’t just sleep on it. Go see a
doctor, it’s free!’ I think we’re doing well but a lot more can be achieved with
sufficient training.”Ms Abdulbagi said that malaria indicators have improved
with community engagement initiatives: “It has become standard practice for us
to involve the local community given the significant burden of malaria and the
limited resources to battle it.“Last year, the ministry was running its
therapeutic efficacy study and Gedaref’s Al-Salam Hospital was selected as a
sentinel site. We were already seeing considerable improvement in the
care-seeking behaviour thanks to [the volunteers’] efforts, but I wanted to
ensure we finish within the designated time frame, so I reached out to Abdalla.
A health promotion campaign was swiftly commenced, and data collection concluded
in a timely manner”.Gedaref’s example reflects a broader shift taking place
across Sudan, whereby communities are increasingly seen as pivotal in improving
their own well-being. The Federal Ministry of Health is moving to
institutionalize grassroots health initiatives by adopting a community health
strategy. Community members are thus set to play an integral role in both the
prevention and case management aspects of malaria control in Sudan.
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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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Press Release
05 November 2024
Sudan rolls out first malaria vaccines
The launch follows the arrival of the first consignment of 186,000 doses of the
malaria vaccines to Sudan in October. The vaccinations will begin today in
health facilities in 15 localities in the Gedaref and the Blue Nile states,
benefitting more than 148,000 children under the age of 12 months. In 2025 and
2026, the vaccine will be introduced in 129 localities across Sudan.“Today marks
a significant milestone as we introduce the malaria vaccine in Sudan. This
initiative reflects our strong and unwavering commitment to malaria control and
our collective determination to protect the lives of our children. By focusing
on reducing malaria mortality in children under five, we are taking a critical
step toward securing a healthier, brighter future for the next generation. This
vaccine introduction not only reinforces our dedication to combating malaria but
also brings us closer to a future where no child is lost to this preventable
disease. Together, we are paving the way for a malaria-free Sudan,” said Dr
Heitham Mohamed Ibrahim Awadallah, Sudan’s Federal Minister of Health.Malaria is
one of the world’s deadliest diseases, killing nearly half a million children
under the age of 5 each year in Africa. Sudan has the highest malaria incidence
rates in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. In 2023, more than 3.4 million
malaria cases were estimated in Sudan, and the disease claimed an estimated
7,900 lives, though cases and deaths are likely to be severely underreported due
to the ongoing conflict and communication breakdown.Sudan is among the first 16
African countries, and the first in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, to
introduce the malaria vaccine, a remarkable accomplishment in a country
grappling with an ongoing conflict. Recommended for children aged five to 12
months, the vaccine is expected to reduce child hospital admission and mortality
from the disease.“The opportunity offered by the introduction of the vaccine
into the national immunization programme is enormous,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF
Representative to Sudan. "This vaccine is a critical new tool in our child
mortality fighting toolkit.”In Sudan, the delivery of vaccines and routine
immunization activities have been hindered by insecurity and the collapse of
national health systems. National vaccination coverage has plummeted from 85 per
cent before the war to approximately 50 per cent. In active conflict zones
immunization rates are averaging 30 per cent, a critically low rate of coverage.
Low immunization coverage and frequent disease outbreaks, such as cholera,
malaria, measles, and polio, are exposing millions of unvaccinated children to
fatal yet preventable diseases.“Despite enormous challenges, Sudan has taken an
important step today to fight the scourge of malaria and protect the population
from severe illness and death,” said Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to
Sudan. “WHO continues to advocate for a comprehensive approach to malaria
intervention, integrating the malaria vaccine with other prevention and control
measures.”The Federal Ministry of Health - supported by its partners: UNICEF,
WHO, and EMPHENET - developed malaria vaccine implementation plans and
communication strategies, trained health workers and engaged communities, and
ensured sufficient cold chain capacity. It also continues to highlight the
importance of implementing all malaria control strategies and mix of
interventions.“Today’s malaria vaccine introduction is a significant milestone,
especially in the context of the ongoing conflict that has disrupted health
services across Sudan. This achievement is a testament to the resilience and
determination of the Federal Ministry of Health and partners, who have worked to
ensure access to the vital tool against malaria. The introduction of the malaria
vaccine not only represents a critical step forward in protecting the lives of
countless children but also symbolizes hope for a healthier future amidst
adversity. Gavi will continue working with partners in support of health
outcomes of the children of Sudan," said Anne Cronin, Senior Country Manager for
Sudan at Gavi.”***
Notes to editors:More than 70 per cent of hospitals in conflict-affected areas
are non-operational. They have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict,
lack supplies or are being used as shelters by displaced families or for other
purposes. Frontline workers, including nurses, doctors and other essential
staff, have not been paid in months. The delivery of vaccine supplies and
routine immunization activities have been hindered by security concerns and lack
of access.In Sudan, an estimated 3.4 million children under the age of 5 are at
high risk of epidemic diseases, including measles, malaria, pneumonia,
diarrhoeal diseases and cholera.Malaria and malaria vaccine:According to the
World malaria report 2023, Sudan bore an estimated burden of more than 41 per
cent of the malaria cases and 49 per cent of malaria deaths in the WHO East
Mediterranean Region, averaging 10,000 cases and 21 associated deaths every
day.WHO recommends the use of malaria vaccines for the prevention of Plasmodium
falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria in children living in malaria-endemic areas,
prioritizing areas with moderate to high transmission.P. falciparum is the
deadliest malaria parasite.In Sudan, 89 per cent of reported malaria cases are
due to P. falciparum and 11to P. vivax.The vaccine provides added protection
against malaria. Children should receive 4 doses to get the best
protection.Vaccinated children should continue using insecticide-treated nets at
night and take other prevention measures.Children aged 5 to 18 months will be
vaccinated according to four-dose schedules to get the best protection against
P. falciparum malaria.In the roll-out of the malaria vaccine in Sudan, infants
between 5 and 12 months are eligible for the first dose of the vaccine.For more
information, please contact:Ismail Elshaik, EPI Manager, Federal Ministry of
Health, ismailsoba@gmail.com, +249122697343.Eva Hinds, Chief of Communication,
UNICEF Sudan, ehinds@unicef.org, +249123168594.Loza Mesfin Tesfaye,
Communications Officer, WHO Sudan, tesfayel@who.int, +251911144194 (WhatsApp),
+249913467512 (direct).
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Press Release
04 November 2024
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Sudan
The Secretary-General is appalled by reports of large numbers of civilians being
killed, detained and displaced, acts of sexual violence against women and girls,
the looting of homes and markets and the burning of farms.  Such acts may
constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights
law.  Perpetrators of such serious violations must be held accountable. The
Secretary-General notes with alarm that the humanitarian situation in Sudan
continues to worsen, with hunger and disease continuing to spread and half of
the population in need of aid.  He demands that all parties to the conflict
facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to all civilians in
need in Sudan, through all necessary routes, in line with their obligations
under international humanitarian law. The Secretary-General renews his call for
a ceasefire to spare Sudanese civilians from further harm.  The Personal Envoy
of the Secretary-General will continue to engage the parties and all relevant
stakeholders to de-escalate the conflict and explore modalities to strengthen
the protection of civilians.  Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the
Secretary-GeneralNew York, 1 November 2024 
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Press Release
31 October 2024
Displacement in Sudan Crosses 11 Million as Devastating Crisis Reaches New
Heights: IOM Chief 
Port Sudan – Good morning, I am glad to be able to speak with you this morning
live from Port Sudan.  I arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit, into a
deteriorating security situation with alarming reports of new atrocities. I have
heard distressing detail from our teams on the ground of the conditions faced by
ordinary Sudanese people whose lives have been thrown into turmoil by this
conflict. The situation here in Sudan is catastrophic. There is simply no other
way to put it. Hunger, disease and sexual violence are rampant. For the people
of Sudan, this is a living nightmare.  This is an underreported conflict
situation, and we must pay it more attention. Millions are suffering, and there
is now the serious possibility of the conflict igniting regional instability
from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa to the Red Sea.  Yesterday, UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shone the spotlight on this suffering,
calling it an ‘utter humanitarian catastrophe’. Eighteen months have passed
since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support
Forces. Outside forces are now ‘fueling the fire’ which is intensifying the
conflict. The suffering is growing by the day, with the Secretary-General
reporting yesterday that almost 25 million people are now requiring
assistance. In recent days, we have heard utterly shocking reports of mass
killings and sexual violence in villages in Al Jazirah State in the east of the
country. Throughout this year, Sudan has been world’s largest displacement
crisis.  Today I can share that we will release new figures this week showing
the displacement number has hit 11 million. That’s up 200,000 just since
September.  Another 3.1 million people have traveled across borders to flee the
fighting. In total, nearly 30 per cent of Sudan's population has been
displaced.  More than half of those displaced are women, and more than a quarter
of them are children under the age of five. Think about that for a moment, that
is a huge number of extremely vulnerable women and children on the move. Many
have been forced to flee repeatedly, with little to no access to shelter, much
less to their livelihoods and the ability to get basic necessities.   The scale
of this displacement – and the corresponding humanitarian needs – grows every
day. Half the country’s population needs help. They don’t have access to
shelter, to clean drinking water, to health care. Disease is spreading fast. One
in every two Sudanese is struggling to get even the minimal amount of food to
survive. Famine conditions have taken hold in North Darfur, and millions
struggle to feed themselves every day. I saw some of that suffering yesterday,
in a visit to the Arbaat dam area about 40 kilometers from Port Sudan.  After
heavy rains in August, a spillway collapsed. The resulting flood killed at least
148 people and devastated homes, livestock, and infrastructure.  This
devastation would be bad enough if it weren’t coming on top of a conflict that
continues to rage and is becoming worse by the day – and one that has
dramatically impacted the delivery of humanitarian assistance.  The safety of
aid workers is often threatened. Access restrictions and bureaucratic
impediments continue to be imposed.  People are dying because of this.  The
parties to this conflict must do what they have pledged to do – and what
international humanitarian law requires – protect civilians, and ensure safe,
swift and unimpeded access to life-saving assistance.    What we also need, most
desperately, is the help of the international community.  Sudan is easily the
most neglected crisis in the world today. The collective failure to act means
the devastation risks spilling over into neighboring countries.  At a conference
in Paris this past April, the international community made generous pledges. But
that appeal is only 52 per cent funded. And though IOM has been able to help
nearly 3 million people since the war started, our part of the response plan is
only 20 per cent funded.  With the proper amount of funding, there is much we
can do to alleviate the suffering, to help people get shelter and proper
sanitation, to feed them and protect them.  But our progress will always be
limited as long as war continues to be waged.  All wars are brutal, but the toll
of this one is particularly horrifying, and the recent killings and appalling
human rights violations in Aj Jazirah state were yet another example. Since last
year, reports of rape, torture and ethnically motivated violence have been far
too common. Indiscriminate attacks are killing civilians, including young
children.    Some of the areas of most severe need remain cut off entirely, with
no access to humanitarian aid. The potential long-term impact of this
catastrophic crisis is simply staggering. Education will be set back decades.
The health and well-being of children will be stunted. Livelihoods will be
permanently ruined. A generation will live in the shadow of trauma. And the
immense tragedy about it all is that a peaceful Sudan has the capacity to take
care of itself. Its people are resilient, and their natural resources are
immense.  So while I’m here today to raise awareness of the needs and to
highlight the cost of this displacement crisis, what IOM really wants – what
every person in the world should want – is for the guns in Sudan to fall
silent.  The humanitarian response must be scaled up, and we call on the donor
community to support this effort. I echo the Secretary General in calling
for: An end to hostilities; Protection for civilians; and access for
humanitarian agencies so that aid can flow.  We will not allow Sudan to be
forgotten. But its people need peace, now.  ***For more information please
contact: In Port Sudan: Lisa George, lgeorge@iom.int       
In Cairo: Joe Lowry, jlowry@iom.int  
In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int  
Read more
1 of 5
Press Release
31 October 2024
At least ten children reportedly killed in escalating violence in Sudan’s Al
Jazirah State
NEW YORK, 28 October 2024 – "I am deeply alarmed by the spiralling violence
against children and families in Sudan’s Al Jazirah State. Reports of mass
killings, widespread sexual violence against women and girls, and the
destruction of homes and livelihoods are appalling.“In just the past week, at
least 124 people were reportedly killed in Al Jazirah – including at least ten
children, some as young as ten years old – while at least 43 children were
injured.

“We have also received devastating reports that multiple girls, as young as 13,
have been subjected to rape and sexual assault and that children have been
detained. More than 9,000 households, including over 45,000 people, were forced
from their homes in Tamboul and its surrounding villages between 20 and 27
October 2024.

“This violence is part of a vast man-made humanitarian catastrophe which has
already killed and injured thousands of children, displaced more than 11 million
people and left millions more in extreme peril. Sudan is now home to the world’s
largest displacement and humanitarian crisis – a crisis that is increasingly
impacting the broader region.

“UNICEF calls for an immediate end to the violence. Parties to the conflict must
cease the deliberate targeting of civilians and grave violations against
children. They must also immediately release children who have been detained.

“We also call on the parties to uphold international humanitarian law, to
protect civilians and civilian objects, and to allow safe, unhindered access for
humanitarian aid workers. Right now, administrative barriers imposed by parties
to the conflict, as well as security conditions, are compromising delivery of
the life-saving assistance these children and families so desperately need.

“The world cannot stand by while Sudan’s children face unspeakable horrors. We
must act now to safeguard their future and uphold their right to safety and
peace."#####Media contactsJoe EnglishUNICEF New YorkTel: +1 917 893 0692Email:
jenglish@unicef.orgEva HindsUNICEF SudanTel: +249 123 168 594Email:
ehinds@unicef.orgAmmar AmmarUNICEF AmmanTel: +962 791 837 388Email:
aammar@unicef.org
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1 of 5
Press Release
27 October 2024
Statement by the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine
Nkweta-Salami
(Port Sudan, 26 October 2024) The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian
Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, is deeply troubled by
reports of escalating armed violence in Aj Jazirah State, which has reportedly
claimed the lives of scores of civilians.
 
Preliminary reports between 20 and 25 October indicate that the Rapid Support
Forces (RSF) launched a major attack across eastern Aj Jazirah. RSF fighters
reportedly shot at civilians indiscriminately, perpetrated acts of sexual
violence against women and girls, committed widespread looting of markets and
homes and burned down farms. Residents from several villages, including Safita
Ghanoubab, Al- Hilaliya, and Al-Aziba, were reportedly subjected to physical
assaults, humiliation, and threats resulting in scores of civilians fleeing
their homes for safety. Those who remain face severe threats.

“I am shocked and deeply appalled that human rights violations of the kind
witnessed in Darfur last year – such as rape, targeted attacks, sexual violence,
and mass killings – are being repeated in Aj Jazirah State. These are atrocious
crimes,” said Nkweta-Salami. “Women, children, and the most vulnerable are
bearing the brunt of a conflict that has already taken far too many lives.”
 
The numbers of civilian casualties from these attacks are yet to be established.
Thousands of families have fled their homes to several areas within Aj Jazirah
State, while others have been displaced to Gedaref and Kassala states.
Humanitarian partners are gathering more information on the situation, alongside
mobilizing to assist the hundreds of people displaced by the escalation of
hostilities.
 
“Attacking civilians, civilian objects, and public infrastructure is prohibited
by International Humanitarian Law. It is unacceptable and must stop immediately.
Civilians must be protected wherever they are,” said Nkweta-Salami.
 ### 
For more information, please contact: Tapiwa Gomo, gomo@un.org

 
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1 of 5
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