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U.N. warns of further fragmentation in Sudan as cholera outbreak surges
Summary
The U.N. says a political charter announced by the Rapid Support Forces risks deeper fragmentation in Sudan; concurrent cholera outbreaks in White Nile State have produced thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths, and U.N. partners launched a vaccination campaign.
The United Nations said an announcement by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied actors of a political charter expressing intent to establish governing authority in areas under RSF control represents a further escalation that could deepen Sudan27s fragmentation and worsen the humanitarian crisis.
At a U.N. press briefing, the U.N. spokesperson said Secretary-General António Guterres condemned ongoing violence against civilians by parties to the conflict and urged all sides to adhere to international humanitarian law and to protect civilians and critical civilian infrastructure.
The U.N. also provided updated public-health figures tied to the conflict. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and U.N. health partners reported rising cholera cases in White Nile State. The U.N. briefing said recent counts included more than 1,600 cases and 63 deaths in recent days, and that in one 24-hour period partners reported 289 cases and five deaths.
Since July of the previous year, the spokesperson said more than 55,000 cholera cases and nearly 1,500 deaths have been reported across 12 of Sudan27s 18 states, according to local authorities and U.N. health partners. The U.N. noted that the White Nile River is a likely source of some infections where families have collected water amid power outages following attacks on power plants.
The spokesperson said the Sudanese Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and UNICEF launched a multi-day oral cholera vaccination campaign in Kosti and Rabak in White Nile State intended to reach more than one million people. The briefing emphasized that large-scale humanitarian operations require continued funding and sustained security to reach people in need.
The U.N. also reported that the secretary-general27s personal envoy is engaging parties to seek cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and humanitarian access. The spokesman said the U.N. is sharing a fuller statement with the press.
The U.N. briefing warned that continued escalation in Sudan risks not only deeper national fragmentation but also wider regional instability unless measures to preserve unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld.
