8 May
On May 8, 2024, a polio vaccination campaign began in Sudan’s Red Sea State after poliovirus was detected in sewage earlier this year. Vaccinators aim to immunize all children under five within four days.
Since the conflict began in April 2023, health services have been disrupted, leaving many children unvaccinated and at risk of diseases like polio. In response to the outbreak, the Federal Ministry of Health, with WHO and UNICEF support, deployed experts to target high-risk areas across Sudan. (UNICEF)
8 May
WHO Sudan recently provided crucial medical equipment, including advanced incinerators, to the Federal Ministry of Health, courtesy of a $3 million donation from the European Union. This donation aims to improve healthcare quality and infection control across six states in Sudan, benefiting regions heavily impacted by the conflict.
Dr. Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to Sudan, expressed gratitude for the EU’s support, highlighting the importance of these incinerators in safeguarding healthcare workers, patients, and the environment from biohazardous waste. (WHO)
7 May
Intercommunal tensions have escalated in Sudan, notably in Abyei, with clashes over cattle rustling resulting in fatalities among the Misseriya and Nuer communities. UNISFA has convened a meeting with Misseriya, Nuer, and Ngok Dinka representatives to promote a peaceful resolution, stressing the importance of political support for dialogue.
Meanwhile, Hanna Tetteh, the UN’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, echoed concerns about Sudan’s crisis affecting South Sudan, noting that the influx of over 630,000 refugees and returnees has strained access to vital services due to years of conflict and environmental challenges. (UN News)
3 May
For the first time since the conflict began over a year ago, a joint UNHCR team, along with Sudan’s Commissioner for Refugees and the national aid agency JASMAR for Human Security, accessed Omdurman in Khartoum State, witnessing extensive war-related destruction and urgent humanitarian needs.
During the two-day visit, which included discussions with local authorities and affected individuals, UNHCR assessed the needs and protection risks of the population, including over 12,000 refugees and more than 54,000 internally displaced persons. (UNHCR)
3 May
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, strongly condemns the killing of two International Committee of the Red Cross drivers in South Darfur, Sudan, emphasizing that attacks on aid workers are unacceptable.
Griffiths stressed the importance of protecting humanitarian personnel, affirming that those who dedicate themselves to assisting others should be protected from harm. (OCHA)
2 May
UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki interviewed Toby Harward, the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, who recently returned from El Fasher and described the dire situation in North Darfur’s capital. Harward stressed a significant deterioration in security, and that the siege around El Fasher has disrupted aid convoys and commerce, leading to soaring prices of essential goods and putting many at risk of hunger and disease.
He highlighted the significance of El Fasher, which is home to 1.5 million people, including 800,000 internally displaced persons, and faces potential devastation if fighting escalates, threatening civilians from all Darfur communities. (UN News)
1 May
The new Regional Sudan Crisis Response underscores that since April 15, 2023, there have been 8.7 million displaced persons within and outside Sudan, with 6.7 million recently displaced internally in Sudan. Additionally, 2 million individuals have crossed into neighbouring countries.
IOM has reached 2.3 million people in Sudan and neighbouring countries, providing critical humanitarian assistance. Notably, IOM facilitated the voluntary return of 15 Ethiopian nationals from Gedaref to Gondar, coordinating humanitarian movements to ensure their safe journey. (IOM)
29 April
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, warned against increased conflict in El Fasher, North Darfur, emphasizing its potentially catastrophic impact on civilians already grappling with hunger and deprivation. (OCHA)
27 April
On Saturday, UN Security Council members urged the conflicting parties in Sudan to cease military buildup and initiate de-escalation measures in El Fasher, North Darfur’s capital. Reports suggest an imminent offensive by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militia, posing a threat to the lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced people seeking refuge there.
Since April 14, clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF, supported by militias, have claimed at least 43 lives, including women and children, with civilians in El Fasher fearing death if they try to escape. (UN News)
26 April
OCHA highlights the devastating impacts of a potential attack on El Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, endangering its 800,000 residents. Recent clashes have already displaced 40,000 people, with reports of acute hunger in Zamzam camp.
Humanitarian access to El Fasher is severely restricted, hindering aid delivery to vulnerable populations, and disrupting supply routes from Chad and Port Sudan, leaving essential supplies for 122,000 people stranded in neighbouring Northern State. (OCHA)
25 April
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, jointly urge increased international involvement to address ongoing sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan.
They emphasize that after a year of conflict, reports of rape, forced marriage, and trafficking persist, particularly in Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan, urging the Security Council members to unequivocally affirm the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law and condemn acts of sexual violence. (UNOCHA)
19 April
Edem Wosornu, Director, Operations and Advocacy for OCHA speaking on behalf of Martin Griffiths, briefed the Security Council on the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences of the year-long conflict, and appealing to council to do more to “silence the guns” in Sudan.
Recent attacks near El Fasher pose immediate danger to civilians, necessitating urgent action to ensure their protection and facilitate humanitarian access. The recent Paris conference yielded crucial funding pledges and discussions on access, but swift disbursement of funds and intensified international engagement are imperative to address the escalating crisis effectively. (OCHA)
19 April
Under-Secretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo addressed the Security Council, emphasizing the urgent need to end the devastating conflict in Sudan. DiCarlo called for adherence to International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, urged restraint from all parties, and emphasized the importance of external actors’ compliance with sanctions to achieve peace.
She underscored the UN’s commitment to mediation efforts and supporting Sudan’s democratic transition, applauding the recently held Paris Conference on Sudan while stressing the collective responsibility to aid Sudan’s path to peace and recovery. (UN DPPA)
18 April
The recent Regional Sudan Crisis Response Update highlights priorities for IOM, which continues to deliver vital humanitarian aid within Sudan and neighboring countries, while pushing for safe access to affected populations. Advocacy efforts extend to facilitating cross-border operations from Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.
Additionally, IOM emphasizes the importance of transition and stabilization interventions, especially in neighboring nations where returning populations may seek to settle. Recent activities include the distribution of 3,000 hygiene kits to about 18,000 individuals in Gedaref state, alongside assisting 18 stranded migrants in traveling from Kassala to Gedaref, and onward to the Ethiopian border. (IOM)
