GENEVA: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a dire warning on Monday, stating that Sudan is spiraling into death and destruction at an unprecedented speed. He appealed to donors to urgently intervene and address the unfolding catastrophe, stressing that without strong international support, Sudan could become a breeding ground for lawlessness, posing a threat of insecurity across the region.
Since April 15, the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been engaged in a bitter power struggle with paramilitary forces commanded by his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The clashes between the two factions have intensified, leading to a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations has launched two appeals to address the crisis in Sudan—one for humanitarian response within the country and another for the refugee response outside its borders. However, the appeals require $3 billion this year and have received less than 17 percent of the funding needed.
While the international community responded swiftly to the crisis in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion last year, the response to Sudan’s crisis has been comparatively slow, despite the situation persisting for over two months. The pledging conference, conducted largely virtually, aims to mobilize support for the Sudan appeals.
Catastrophic Situation in Sudan
Guterres described the situation in Darfur and Khartoum as catastrophic, with ongoing fighting that has targeted people in their homes and on the streets. Within just over two months, two million people have been displaced, seeking refuge within Sudan or across its borders. Nearly half a million individuals have already crossed into neighboring countries.
Even before this conflict erupted, Sudan was grappling with a humanitarian crisis. Now, it has escalated into a catastrophe that affects more than half of the country’s population, Guterres warned. He emphasized the importance of preventing the situation from deteriorating further.
The resolution of the crisis, according to Guterres, lies in achieving peace and restoring civilian rule through the transition to democracy.
