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UN official says Sudan conflict has displaced millions, urges protection, access and $6 billion response
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Summary
A UN official told the Security Council that nearly two years of conflict in Sudan have displaced more than 12 million people, left roughly 24.6 million facing acute hunger, and prompted calls for immediate protection of civilians, unhindered humanitarian access and a $6 billion response plan.
A UN official told the United Nations Security Council that nearly two years of fighting in Sudan have displaced more than 12 million people, including about 3.4 million who fled across international borders, and left about 24.6 million people experiencing acute hunger.
The briefing focused on intensified fighting in North Darfur — including at the Zamzam displacement camp — reports of heavy weapons use and destruction of market facilities within camps, and renewed instability in parts of Khartoum, North Kordofan, South Kordofan and White Nile State. The official said satellite imagery shows heavy weapons in and around Zamzam and that ‘‘many were killed, including at least two humanitarian workers.’’
Why it matters: the official warned that existing humanitarian deliveries reach only a fraction of those in need. The United Nations and partners have launched regional response plans for 2025 that, according to the official, require $6 billion to support roughly 21 million people inside Sudan and up to 5 million others in neighboring areas.
Details from the briefing: the official said Medecins Sans Frontieres, the main health and nutrition provider in Zamzam, had been forced to halt operations because of deteriorating security, and that the World Food Programme suspended voucher-based food assistance in the camp. The United Nations Human Rights Office has verified reports of summary executions in areas that have changed hands, the official said, and described ‘‘very serious risks faced by local responders and community volunteers in Khartoum and elsewhere.’’
The speaker reported fighting spreading into new areas in North Kordofan and South Kordofan and said there were ‘‘shocking reports of further atrocities in White Nile State,’’ including a wave of attacks earlier in the month that were reported to have killed scores of civilians. The briefing welcomed a decision by Sudanese authorities to extend authorization for humanitarian movements through the Adjoi crossing, while noting that insecurity, bureaucratic impediments and interference continue to limit deliveries.
The speaker concluded with three specific requests to the Security Council and the international community: immediate protection of civilians in line with international humanitarian law; real implementation of commitments to enable unfettered humanitarian access; and an unprecedented mobilization of flexible funding to meet the scale of needs. ‘‘The people of Sudan deserve better from their leaders and from the international community,’’ the official said.
No formal Security Council decision or vote was recorded in the briefing itself; the remarks stood as an appeal and situation update from the UN speaker to council members.
