The African Union Commission (AU) has appealed to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to implement an immediate ceasefire.
Development Diaries reports that the SAF and the RSF have been engaged in armed confrontations since 15 April 2023.
AU, in a statement, said the appeal was in order to ensure the protection of civilians, health, sanitary, transport and other critical infrastructure, particularly water and electricity services, humanitarian access and assistance, as well as political dialogue.
The commission noted that after deliberations with key stakeholders, it was agreed that pressure will be exerted on the belligerent SAF and RSF to silence the guns.
They also agreed to support Sudanese stakeholders through a jointly led AU-UN mechanism aimed at coordinating international action to end the violence and the destabilisation of Sudan, the region and the continent.
UN Humanitarian Affairs chief, Martin Griffiths, had on Sunday noted that the humanitarian situation in Sudan ‘is reaching breaking point’, while underscoring the need to stop the fighting.
It is understood that essential goods are becoming scarce, especially in the capital, Khartoum, and families are struggling to access water, food, fuel and other critical supplies.
The UN also reported that vulnerable people are unable to leave worst-hit areas as transportation costs have risen exponentially, while those injured in the violence are finding it difficult to access urgent health care.
Available data from the UN shows that one-third of the Sudanese population, 15.8 million, people are in need of humanitarian aid.
Furthermore, 3.7 million people are internally displaced, mostly in Darfur and, at least four million children, pregnant and lactating women are severely malnourished.
The Chairperson of the AU commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, had last week, appealed to the neighbouring states of Sudan and the international community to speedily extend humanitarian support to civilians fleeing the conflict in the country.
Source: AU
Photo source: OCHA
