New international call for a humanitarian truce in Sudan
The ALPS coalition, which includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the African Union, and the United Nations, expressed its deep dismay at the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
In a press release the coalition noted the increasing number of people suffering from acute malnutrition and famine, and what it called the multiple obstacles preventing humanitarian access to key areas, delaying or hindering the response, adding that civilians continue to pay the heaviest price for this war, with the situation in Sudan deteriorating and humanitarian needs reaching critical levels, urging the parties to the conflict to take urgent action to protect civilians and allow and facilitate humanitarian access to those in need, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law and the Jeddah Declaration on the Protection of Civilians in Sudan, signed in May 2023.
The Sudan Peace Support Alliance called for the lifting of all bureaucratic obstacles that obstruct and prevent humanitarian activities; and a commitment to keeping key supply routes open to humanitarian convoys and their personnel, including through humanitarian pauses and other arrangements as needed.
The press release continued, “This should include the long-term extension of the Adré crossing and agreements on the anticipated and sustainable use of key roads across the front lines leading to Darfur and Kordofan, as well as additional crossings from South Sudan.”
The group emphasized the need to ensure that humanitarian actors are able to safely deliver assistance throughout Sudan to all civilians in need, without fear of reprisal if they provide assistance in areas controlled by third parties, citing the importance of ensuring safe passage for civilians to access assistance and services; allowing and facilitating a sustained UN humanitarian presence throughout the country, particularly in areas with urgent humanitarian needs, notably in Darfur and Kordofan; urging the coalition to restore telecommunications services throughout Sudan; and to protect critical civilian infrastructure, particularly energy, water, and health.
The group stated that in some areas—particularly North Darfur and Kordofan—de-escalation measures are urgently needed to enable humanitarian actors to deliver aid. Therefore, the ALPS Group calls on the parties to the conflict to abide by their Jeddah commitments, allow humanitarian pauses to enable the delivery of life-saving supplies to these areas, and remove obstacles to the movement of civilians away from danger.
The Group strongly emphasized the need for full respect for international humanitarian law. This includes obligations to protect civilians, including humanitarian workers, their premises and property, as well as to allow and facilitate rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need.