A stark warning resonated from the United Nations on Thursday, painting a grim picture of Sudan’s intensifying humanitarian crisis fueled by escalating war.
UN relief chief Martin Griffiths revealed a staggering figure: nearly 25 million people in Sudan will require humanitarian assistance in 2024, their hopes fading as conflict renders them unreachable.
Nine months of relentless war have spiraled Sudan “into a downward spiral,” Griffiths declared. As fighting grips the nation, human suffering deepens, humanitarian access shrivels, and hope wanes. He issued a desperate plea: “This cannot continue.”
The escalating violence isn’t confined to Sudan’s borders, posing a dire threat to regional stability. Griffiths urged the international community, particularly those with influence over the warring parties, to take “decisive and immediate” action to halt the conflict and safeguard humanitarian operations.
At the heart of this tragedy lies the world’s largest displacement crisis, unleashed by the war. Over 7 million lives have been uprooted, 1.4 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries already burdened with large refugee populations.
“For Sudan’s people, 2023 was a year of suffering,” Griffiths acknowledged. “In 2024, the parties to the conflict must do three things to end it: Protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, and stop the fighting – immediately.”
The warring factions, the Sudanese army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces, remain locked in a deadly deadlock. The conflict has already claimed at least 12,260 lives and left over 33,000 injured, according to UN statistics.
As nearly 6.8 million people flee their homes for safety within Sudan or across borders, the humanitarian crisis spirals out of control. Several cease-fire agreements, brokered by Saudi Arabia and US mediators, have proven futile in stemming the tide of violence.
Sudan stands at a precipice. The international community cannot turn a blind eye to the deepening suffering. Decisive action is needed to stop the fighting, safeguard humanitarian access, and finally offer some semblance of hope to millions caught in the crossfire. The lives of 25 million people depend on it.