Talks with Sudan's warring parties underway: UN
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The United Nations says the number of displaced Sudanese has reached nearly 13 million people.
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Women and children sit outside their tent, set up at a camp for internally displaced Sudanese from Sennar state, in the al-Huri district of Gedaref city east of war-torn Sudan on July 14, 2024. (AFP)
Indirect UN-brokered talks between Sudan's warring parties are continuing this week, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Geneva, Moussa Assi, reported.
War has raged since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Alessandra Vellucci, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, told a media briefing that the talks between the conflicting sides are underway.
She added that these talks will continue without a set timetable in order to reach agreements, especially concerning humanitarian issues.
"The teams engaged intensively on the two key items discussed during these talks: humanitarian assistance and protection of civilians," Vellucci indicated.
She also noted that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' personal envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, is meeting separately with each delegation at a time, in different rooms.
According to the UN, the conflict in Sudan has left tens of thousands dead and displaced more than 10 million people.
A recent UN-backed report said nearly 26 million people, or slightly more than half of the population, were facing high levels of "acute food insecurity."
13 million displaced Sudanese at risk of hunger, diseases, and epidemics: UN
In a related context, the United Nations announced that the number of displaced Sudanese has reached nearly 13 million people, with over 10 million of them dispersed within Sudan and more than two million seeking shelter in neighboring countries, where they continue to face severe constraints in accessing humanitarian aid, including healthcare.
"It is difficult to see this level of suffering among the refugees. They shared stories of violence, loss and hunger. If we don’t act with urgency, we will see higher morbidity, mortality and transgenerational impact of the conflict," expressed Shible Shiban, WHO representative in Sudan, at a press conference following his visit to Chad, which hosts the largest number of Sudanese refugees.
Shiban pointed out that all refugees he met in the town of Adre said they fled Sudan due to hunger, with some forced to leave their cities and travel for three days without food.
"Those displaced within Sudan are in no better condition. The health system is severely degraded in the face of soaring health needs with diseases spreading, famine looming, preventable conditions claiming lives," he said.
He added that states like Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum, and al-Jazirah have become isolated from humanitarian and healthcare aid due to the ongoing conflict.
The WHO representative stressed that the situation in Darfur is particularly worrisome, where places like the city of el-Fasher have over 800,000 people besieged and deprived of access to food, healthcare, and medical supplies.
For months, the #Sudanese Armed Forces have accused the UAE of supporting the RSF - a charge the UAE denies. But a leaked UN report compiled by experts for the Security Council said it had “credible” evidence that suggested the UAE was providing military support to the… pic.twitter.com/KjStz0iEjQ
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 10, 2024
Sahbani also warned that the approaching rainy season will exacerbate the challenges in accessing healthcare for affected populations.
"We need to act with urgency with the people, the children, and their future in mind. Failing to act now will lead to more severe illness, more deaths and the future of a nation altered for the worse," he emphasized.
Elsewhere, he underlined that unless urgent measures are taken and a ceasefire is implemented to contain the humanitarian disaster, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Sudan could spiral out of control.
The United Nations said on July 12 that delegations from both warring parties are present in Geneva for talks with Lamamra, though one side has yet to turn up to meetings.
Despite being present in the Swiss city, one side did not show up for Thursday's first day of discussions, Vellucci said, without identifying which party.
She mentioned that the two delegations were comprised of senior representatives of the warring parties and included humanitarian, security, and military experts.
The Sudanese government on Saturday affirmed its commitment to positive cooperation with the United Nations in everything that alleviates the suffering of Sudanese citizens and its eagerness to deliver humanitarian aid to citizens in areas where the Rapid Support Forces are present.
Read more: Sudan war ravaging millions of lives over a year into conflict
