“This should be the first step in providing respite from the fight and pave the way for a permanent ceasefire,” he told journalists in New York.
Dialogue and Transitions
The AU meeting brought together the United Nations, the League of Arab States, the East African bloc IGAD, the European Union and nations committed to ending hostilities in Sudan, where rival military factions have scrambled. power for almost a week .
Hundreds of people were killed in the interim, including children. Humanitarians have been hindered from carrying out rescue operations due to raids and looting.
Mr. Guterres said end the hostilities must be followed by serious dialogueenable a successful transition, beginning with the appointment of a civilian government.
Concerns for UN staff
He condemn the targeting of workers and humanitarian propertyand remind the parties of their international obligations, including ensuring the safety and security of aid workers.
“I am also deeply concerned about the situation of the United Nations staff, many of them are trapped in their homes in active conflict zones. We are doing everything in our power to support them,” he continued.
Clashes between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – who are at odds over a return to civilian rule – broke out on Saturday. Most of the fighting has taken place in the capital, where residents have been trapped in their homes for days.
Concerns about health care
Thousands of people have fled the city, although evacuation has become increasingly difficult. Humanitarians warn that people are running out of food, fuel and other essential supplies, and many need urgent medical attention.
“The situation in Sudan is increasingly worrying and heartbreaking. More than 330 people have died so far and nearly 3,200 injuredDirector-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, wrote in a statement posted on his official Twitter account.
Tedros condemns any loss of life, especially attacks on civilians and medical facilities. He expressed deep concern about reports of forces occupying medical facilities, emphasizing that attacks on medical facilities are a flagrant violation of international law.
Chaotic service
“The lack of safe access, the declining lack of electricity, food, water, staff and medical supplies is making many medical facilities almost inoperable at a time when thousands of injured people need urgent care,” he said.
Tedros called on all parties to respect the truce so that people can seek shelter or health care, or access food, water and medicine.
Head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also urges parties to respect their international obligations to protect boys and girls from harm and to ensure humanitarian organizations can quickly reach children in need.
Childhood under fire
“Five days of intense fighting in Sudan and four failed ceasefires have caused a heavy damage to the children of the country,” UNICEF Director Catherine Russell said in a statement. “If the violence doesn’t stop, this number will only increase.”
She said at least nine children are believed to have been killed and more than 50 injured as fighting continued in Khartoum, Darfur and North Kordofan states, although insecurity made it difficult to collect and verify information. Trust becomes difficult.
“We have received reports of children sheltering in schools and care centers while battling the rampages around them. Children’s hospital forced to evacuate as the shelling drew closer, and hospitals, health centers, and other critical infrastructure were damaged or destroyed, limiting access to essential care and medication, and life saver,” she added.
Critical care interrupted
According to the United Nations aid agency, humanitarian needs in Sudan were at record levels at the beginning of the year. OCHAwith almost a third of the population, nearly 16 million people, need support.
Ms. Russell said the crisis was Critical life-saving care is interrupted approximately 50,000 children with acute malnutrition in need of round-the-clock care.
“The war is also Risks to Sudan’s cold chain, including over $40 million worth of vaccines and insulindue to power supply failure and unable to refuel the generators,” she added.
Hunger can increase
Meanwhile, the World Food Program (WFP) warned that violence could push millions more people into poverty.
WFP had planned to assist about 7.6 million people in Sudan this year but was forced to halt operations due to fighting which is preventing the groups from carrying out activities such as delivering vital emergency food, providing school meals, prevention and treatment of malnutrition.
The UN agency also suffered huge losses when three staff members were killed in a gunfight on Saturday and two others were seriously injured. WFP added that their employees, offices, vehicles, equipment and food pantries were also directly attacked.
The United Nations Humanitarian Aviation Service (UNHAS), which WFP administers on behalf of the international community, is now fully established. One plane in Khartoum was damaged beyond repair, and at least 10 vehicles and six food trucks were stolen.
In addition, WFP guest houses, offices and warehouses in Nyala, South Darfur, were overrun and looted, resulting in losses of up to 4,000 tons of food.
With Sudan’s health system reported to be on the verge of collapse, the United Nations reproductive health agency, UNFPAcare about pregnant women in need of ongoing care and access to hospitals where they can give birth safely.
UNFPA Regional Director Laila Bakur, who spoke with UN News as of Wednesday, there were an estimated 219,000 expectant mothers in Khartoum alone.
“We found that there was very little we could do in terms of providing care and they couldn’t access any form of safe delivery,” she said.
