The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday calling for a ceasefire in Sudan during Ramadan, and the U.N. chief warned this week that the humanitarian crisis has reached “enormous proportions.”
“With this resolution, the Security Council sends a strong and clear message to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces agreeing to an immediate cessation of hostilities during Ramadan,” British Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki said in the text.
The Muslim holy month begins early next week and lasts about 30 days.
“This follows calls from the Secretary-General and the African Union,” Kariuki said. “We urge the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to act in response to the international community’s unified call for peace and silence the guns.”
U.S. envoy Robert Wood condemned atrocities committed by both sides during the nearly year-long war.
“This tragedy has gone on for far too long,” he said. “We must come together to prevent and stop the flow of weapons that fuel this conflict.”
The resolution, passed by 14 Council members in favor and without opposition, with Russia abstaining, called for “an immediate cessation of hostilities during the holy month of Ramadan and required all parties to the conflict to seek a sustainable solution to the conflict through dialogue.” ” It also calls on them to remove any obstacles that impede the distribution of humanitarian aid.
It is unclear whether all parties to the conflict will respond to calls for a ceasefire.
A day earlier, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a Ramadan ceasefire, saying it was time for rival generals there to lay down their arms.
“The cessation of hostilities must lead to a complete silencing of gunfire across the country and establish a solid path for the Sudanese people towards lasting peace,” Guterres said.
Fighting broke out last April between the forces of Sudan’s army chief of staff, General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The two generals were allies of Sudan’s transitional government after the 2021 coup but later became rivals for power.
The ensuing power struggle resulted in thousands of deaths, a mass displacement crisis and mass atrocities, particularly against non-Arab communities in the country’s Darfur region. Hunger has also reached catastrophic proportions, with the United Nations receiving reports of children dying from malnutrition.
humanitarian disaster
Humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths told reporters on Friday that the pause in fighting was welcome.
“If this goes ahead and both sides comply with this, I can assure you that there will be significant assistance – pre-positioned [aid], repairing institutions, moving children to safety, and more. ”
Humanitarian action is severely underfunded. The United Nations has called for $2.7 billion for Sudan this year, but Griffiths said only 4% of the funding has been reached.
The United Nations says about 25 million people, half of Sudan’s population, need some form of humanitarian assistance. Of these, 18 million people face severe food insecurity – 10 million more than a year ago.
“Ten million Sudanese people have become food insecure as a result of a conflict that should never have happened,” Griffiths said.
Sudan is now home to the world’s worst internal displacement crisis, with 6.3 million people forced to leave their homes in search of safety. Another 1.7 million people have fled to neighboring countries. More than 70% of health facilities in areas where fighting has taken place have ceased operations.
Follow us on Google news ,Twitter , and Join Whatsapp Group of thelocalreport.in
