Sudan: UN Relief Chief - Sudan Humanitarian Forum Is a Critical Opportunity

© MSF
Seen from the office of the MSF in Khartoum, Sudan in May 2023.
13 November 2023
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York)
document

Opening Statement by Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, during the Sudan Humanitarian Forum

As prepared for delivery

Welcome, everyone, to this very first meeting of the Sudan Humanitarian Forum.

I would like to start with a particular welcome to the representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Your attendance here today reflects a shared recognition of the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. It is also a measure of your readiness to implement commitments to stemming the crisis and alleviate the horrendous impacts on millions of people.

I also want to welcome the presence of representatives of the co-facilitators of the second round of the Jeddah talks – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, also representing the African Union. We recognize your determined efforts since the start of the conflict in support of the people of Sudan.

I am joined by our Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami. She will chair our discussion today, and I will hand over to her in a moment to set out in greater detail the terrible humanitarian impact of the past 7 months on the people of Sudan.

The conflict that broke out on 15 April, and that continues to this day, unleashed an avalanche of human suffering on people already staggering under the burden of a humanitarian crisis.

Across the country, communities have had to grapple with horrific levels of violence, hunger and sickness. More than 10,000 Sudanese have reportedly so far lost their lives. Many people have lost everything: their families, their homes, their belongings, their livelihoods. Children cannot go to school or see a doctor, and most basic services have come to an almost complete standstill. Women and girls have shouldered a particularly heavy burden, facing terrifying risks to their safety, including rape and kidnap.

Almost 25 million people in Sudan are now in need of humanitarian assistance.

The humanitarian community remains unwavering in our determination to get life-saving assistance to those who need it. Our teams on the ground are ready to deliver assistance to people wherever they may be.

But access is a serious problem.

Since mid-April, we have been able to reach only 4.1 million people with lifesaving aid – less than a quarter of the people who need our help.

What we desperately need is safe and unhindered access so we can reach all people in need.

Of particular importance is access in order to contain the ongoing cholera outbreak – including in conflict hotspots in Khartoum and South Kordofan – before it spirals out of control.

A key outcome of this Forum would be decisive progress in our ability to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable populations in Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan and elsewhere.

In addition to access, concrete steps must be taken to implement obligations and commitments to protect civilians from the continuing fighting.

I am appalled by the horrific reports of extreme violence against civilians, including ethnic-based attacks and sexual violence. This must stop immediately. All actors must ensure protection of civilians in areas under their control, in line with their obligations.

Your discussions over the next hour – and in the weeks and months to come – could not be more important. This Forum is a critical opportunity to make progress towards relieving the suffering of the people of Sudan.

It will not be easy, but we know from experience that it is possible. Following the first round of Jeddah talks and the Jeddah Declaration of Commitments, we saw a significant improvement in our ability to move lifesaving supplies to hard-hit locations, including Khartoum and Darfur.

The success of this Forum – and our collective ability to turn this tide of human suffering – relies on you, the parties, and your willingness to engage in pragmatic dialogue, to reach compromise, and to commit to concrete steps. As you engage in these discussions, I urge you not to focus on your differences, but to keep the suffering of the Sudanese people at the very front of your minds.

We are here to support these efforts, under the very capable leadership of our Humanitarian Coordinator.

I urge you to seize this opportunity – for the benefit of the people of Sudan.

I thank you.

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