Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Sudan by Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
New York, 18 September 2024
As delivered
Mr. President and Members of the Council,
Thank you for this opportunity to brief you on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
This brutal war has now lasted for 17 months, and there is no end in sight for this catastrophe.
Ten months ago, we warned the Council of the catastrophic consequences of an attack on El Fasher: a city of almost one million people, swelled with hundreds of thousands more seeking shelter after fleeing violence elsewhere.
Since April 2023, we have briefed you on the worrisome developments in El Fasher in no less than six Council meetings.
And in June 2024, the Security Council called for "an immediate halt to the fighting and for de-escalation in and around El Fasher" in resolution 2736.
Regrettably, these calls have not been heeded and the humanitarian situation continues steadily to deteriorate.
Since the end of last week, large-scale fighting in and around El Fasher has escalated.
Shelling and aerial bombardment have been constant, and heavy.
Civilians especially women and children have been hit. Civilian sites and infrastructure - including hospitals and internally displaced persons' camps - have been hit.
The lives of hundreds of thousands of people, including more than 700,000 IDPs in and around El Fasher are at immediate threat.
And our concern is mounting as we receive reports of intense shelling of central and western parts of El Fasher and deployment of additional forces.
Mr. President,
The threats to life posed by the fighting in El Fasher are manifold.
Parties to the conflict are making no efforts to protect health facilities or the civilians these facilities host.
Hospitals and health facilities are being hit multiple times, rendering them non-operational.
Of the three main hospitals in El Fasher, only one hospital is functioning, although only partially following an attack that caused extensive damage in August.
The only dialysis center in El Fasher and facilities vital for the vaccine cold chain have also been attacked.
Severe hunger is a spiraling threat, with close to 1.7 million people in North Darfur facing acute food insecurity.
In August, the Famine Review Committee confirmed that there is famine in Zamzam camp, a site hosting around half a million people, roughly 15 kilometers south of El Fasher. There are 13 other localities identified at risk of famine in North Darfur, including two other displacement sites [in North Darfur].
You will recall that in February 2024, Médecins Sans Frontières reported that a child was dying in the Zamzam camp every two hours. Latest screening by MSF and the Ministry of Health between 1 and 5 September indicates that the situation is only getting worse. About 34 per cent of the children are malnourished, including 10 per cent who are severely malnourished.
Mr. President,
The situation is being compounded by almost impassable obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian relief.
Since May, roads into Zamzam and El Fasher have been rendered inaccessible by fighting around the city, and more recently by damage caused by heavy rains and floods.
We have been repeatedly unsuccessful in our attempts to access the area.
The presence of humanitarian workers and operations in El Fasher is extremely limited, save for those local humanitarians who have stayed behind to look after their families.
An inter-agency assessment in Zamzam camp on 27 August, led by partners revealed that assistance to people who have been newly displaced into the camp is very limited.
There have been no international staff in El Fasher since April 2024 and non-governmental programmes have been curtailed.
But we have far from given up.
We are hoping that as flood water subsides in the coming weeks, we will be able to start moving supplies to El Fasher and other areas at risk of famine.
In April, [the World Food Programme was] able to provide food and nutrition assistance in the camp. Further attempts to move food and health supplies in August were not possible due to insecurity and flooding.
To address the access challenges, the World Food Programme is already in the process of launching an operation to distribute food from commercial providers to directly affected people in Zamzam.
They are planning to reach 179,000 people this month, complementing efforts to bring in food across the frontlines and across borders.
Regardless, the essential factors for effectively addressing this grave situation will be a de-escalation in the fighting, as well as the willingness of the parties to facilitate safe access.
Be in no doubt: without safe and predictable access and a steady supply of food and humanitarian supplies, we will see a dramatic spike in mortality - including children - in Zamzam and in other areas around El Fasher.
Mr. President,
The same goes for the situation across Sudan. Khartoum, Sennar, Aj Jazirah - all continue to be devastated by relentless violence.
More than eight million people have now been driven from their homes, and more than two million have fled over the border.
The atrocious humanitarian situation calls for a rapid de-escalation in the conflict. We are therefore horrified by signs that the fighting will intensify as the rainy season draws to a close in the coming months.
And we remain deeply troubled by the state of humanitarian access across the country.
The re-opening of the Adre crossing from Chad has been a significant step. More than 100 trucks have so far crossed the border with supplies for close to 300,000 people in West, Central and South Darfur.
But the onward movement of supplies has been severely curtailed, including by damage caused by flooding and heavy rain. Only 55 trucks have reached their destination.
A large-scale and unhindered humanitarian operation is required to save lives - and it is a matter of life and death.
For this, it is vital that additional cross-border access is granted, including through the Aweil and Panakuach routes.
It also requires immediate, safe crossline access from Port Sudan to Aj Jazirah, Sennar, Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan states, through Adabba, Shendi and Sennar.
Mr. President,
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Too many people have already lost their lives in this senseless conflict. Many more will do so unless this Council and the international community at large take decisive action.
First, I urge you to demand that the parties comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and Security Council resolutions - we urge you to ensure they do so.
The parties must refrain from targeting civilians, civilian assets and essential facilities such as hospitals.
They must allow the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian relief via all possible crossline and cross-border routes.
And they must facilitate safe passage for those fleeing the violence.
Second, the world should not abide in El Fasher the atrocities we witnessed in West Darfur.
I call on Member States to put pressure on the parties to agree to a humanitarian pause - to save lives, give civilians respite and allow us to deliver assistance.
Third, I call on donors to provide the much-needed resources to address this unprecedented crisis. As of 17 September, funding for the humanitarian appeal is $1.3 billion - less than 50 per cent of our $2.7 billion ask.
Mr. President,
Next week, dozens of world leaders will descend on New York for the opening of the General Assembly.
Many are representatives of countries with influence on the parties in Sudan.
Surely this, and the multiple high-level meetings on Sudan, will provide an unmissable opportunity to bring an end to this conflict, and demonstrate our solidarity with the people of Sudan.
Millions of lives depend on us - it is time to act.
Thank you.
