Washington, DC — Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sara Jacobs, Ranking Member of the Africa Subcommittee, alongside Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Jonathan Jackson, Pramila Jayapal, and Johnny Olszewski, Democratic Members of the Africa Subcommittee, today issued a joint statement marking the two-year anniversary of the outbreak of war in Sudan:
“It is time to permanently end the brutal violence perpetrated by the warring parties in Sudan and return to a path toward peace and a civilian-led democracy. On this somber day marking two years since the outbreak of the Sudan war, we call on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and allied militias to come to the negotiating table and put a stop to this brutal conflict. They all must ensure unfettered humanitarian access and abide by their repeated commitments to protect civilians, end reprisal killings, and ensure accountability for perpetrators of war crimes and other atrocities.
“External actors like the UAE must immediately stop fueling the conflict by arming the warring parties and instead work with international partners to apply pressure on the parties to reach an agreement. And all conflict stakeholders must recognize that, in order for any peace agreement to be successful, it must include Sudanese civil society members as full participants and contributors. Additionally, a sustainable peace agreement must provide for an end to military rule, the establishment of a civilian government, and a clear roadmap to democratic elections.
“We call on President Trump and his administration to stop exacerbating the situation in Sudan through unlawful aid cuts and to immediately restore all U.S. foreign assistance for Sudan and its humanitarian crisis. Mutual aid societies like the Emergency Response Rooms are critical lifelines for conflict-affected civilians, and they deserve more international support. This moment demands renewed and consistent attention from the United States government and our partners in order to bring an end to the killing and help the Sudanese people emerge from this national nightmare.”
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Additional background: Since the war started, over 150,000 people in Sudan have been killed, more than 12 million displaced from their homes, and 25 million – half of Sudan’s population – currently face acute food insecurity in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The U.S. State Department found the warring parties – the RSF and SAF – have committed war crimes and other atrocities, including mass sexual violence. The State Department also determined the RSF has committed genocide. Over the weekend, the RSF escalated its attacks in El Fasher, targeting civilians, relief workers, and lifesaving services in Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and Naivasha IDP camps.
