.In many communities in Sudan, entire neighborhoods lie in ruins. UN calls for an end to violence in Sudan Peace and Security
Since April, more than 130,000 Sudanese have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighboring regions already under strain from growing humanitarian needs. Edem Wosornu from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported this at a briefing for members of the Security Council.
“In 430 days of this conflict, the level of human suffering in Sudan has become unbearable,” she said.
Humanitarian Crisis
More than 1,300 people were injured in El Fasher alone from May 25 to June 6, according to Doctors Without Borders, Vosornu said, highlighting the grave impact of ongoing bombing and shelling in densely populated areas. She condemned the recent attack on Southern Hospital, which led to its closure and deprived the population of access to medical care.
The OCHA spokesperson also highlighted that, according to the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict, grave violations against children in Sudan have increased by 480 per cent, from around 300 in 2022 to more than 1,700 in 2023.
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Millions of Sudanese at risk of famine
She also warned that nearly 5 million people are at risk of famine, while the collapse of health and sanitation systems is exacerbating the risks for pregnant women and newborns.
Wosornu reiterated her call on the Security Council to protect civilians and vital infrastructure, ensure unimpeded humanitarian access and increase funding for humanitarian operations.
Collective Efforts
In turn, Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobi appealed to the Security Council for collective action to end the suffering of civilians.
“If urgent action is not taken, Sudan faces further ethnic violence and fragmentation. The risk of conflict spillover remains high,” she stressed.
Pobi said the adoption of resolution 2736 (2024) last week sends a critical signal and noted the need for an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher.
The UN assistant chief drew attention to the ongoing human rights violations, including conflict-related sexual violence, and stressed the urgent need to hold perpetrators accountable.
She also said that the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy Ramtan Lamamra visited the region in May and early June and continues to advance coordinated mediation efforts, working with Member States and regional partners to promote peace.
Pobi called for international engagement to support peace initiatives. She welcomed the upcoming diplomatic efforts, including the mediation retreat in Djibouti and the African Union’s preparatory work for the political dialogue.
“The people of Sudan deserve peace and stability,” she stressed, calling on the Security Council and the international community to take decisive action to alleviate the suffering of the millions of people affected by the crisis.