Port Sudan — The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, on Wednesday concluded a visit to Sudan that focused on advancing efforts to address the critical situation faced by millions of Sudanese. Spoljaric called for greater humanitarian space and respect of international humanitarian law.
"The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is first and foremost stemming from the disrespect of the laws of war. Over eight million people have been displaced due to the fighting. They lack access to the most basic services and thousands of them have lost contact with their families. The consequences of the conflict could last for decades if no action is taken urgently," said the ICRC president.
Spoljaric met with Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, president of Sudan's Sovereignty Council and commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). She stressed the need for closer cooperation to preserve the security and safety of humanitarian actors to reach vulnerable communities in conflict-affected areas.
The ICRC remains committed to expanding its humanitarian work across the country for all affected Sudanese, the international organisation stated in a news release on Wednesday.
"Neutral humanitarian action must be protected without exception to avoid a further worsening of the situation. It is the responsibility of all parties to the conflict to create and maintain this space, and it is their obligation under international humanitarian law to ensure the civilian population has access to relief," Spoljaric said.
Hussein El Amin, undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press conference on Wednesday that El Burhan raised concerns about certain aspects of the work of the ICRC in Sudan, but did not give further information.
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He said that Spoljaric pledged to address the government's concerns. The two sides agreed to improve communication.
The ICRC president also met with Saleh El Doma and Aida El Sayed, respectively president and secretary-general of the Sudan Red Crescent Society (SRCS) at the SRCS headquarters in Port Sudan.
The ICRC and the SRCS provide a wide range of assistance and protection services to millions of vulnerable people but the volatile situation in many parts of the country and access challenges mean many communities bearing the brunt of the conflict do not receive the help they need.
ICRC and SRCS teams receive hundreds of messages, emails, and calls every week from people looking for their loved ones who went missing during the war raging in Sudan for nearly 17 months. The ICRC alone has registered 3,000 requests from people looking for their loved ones since the start of the violent conflict in April 2023.
