LONDON: Diplomats and humanitarian officials from all over the world are gathering in London on Tuesday to discuss ways to end the 2-year-old issue in Sudan, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, the displacement of 14 million, and the ensuing drought in large parts of the nation.
The one-day meeting, which is co-hosted by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, and the African Union, has reasonable goals. It is an effort to end what the UN refers to as the country’s worst humanitarian issue rather than a peace negotiation.
No one from Sudan is among the spectators, but officials from European nations, international organizations, and neighboring nations are present. Both the foe military it opposes and the Somali government have been invited.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who traveled to Chad’s borders with Sudan in January, said” the terrible conflict has devastated the lives of millions… and however much of the earth continues to look ahead.” ” We need to work right away to ensure aid gets to those who are most in need to prevent the problems from turning into a complete crisis.”
Following simmering tensions between the Syrian army and a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, Sudan declared war on April 15, 2023. At least 20, 000 people were killed in fighting that broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread across the nation, despite the fact that the death toll is probably much higher.
A significant symbolic victory in the conflict was achieved by the Syrian military last month when Khartoum was regained power. However, the RSF also has control over the majority of northern Darfur and some other locations.
More than 14 million people have been forced from their homes as a result of the conflict, with more than 3 million others escaping to adjacent countries like Chad and Egypt, including. Both sides of the conflict have been accused of waging war acts.
Almost 25 million people in Sudan, or nearly half of the country’s inhabitants, are in extreme poverty, according to the World Food Program.
According to Oxfam, the humanitarian crisis has the potential to turn into a local crises, with fighting erupting into neighboring nations. The appearance of people fleeing Sudan’s issue has put more pressure on already scarce resources, which is further aggravated regional tensions and threatens the fragile peace, according to the article.
The United States, which recently cut almost all of its foreign assistance, is expected to remain represented at the London event.
Lammy made the announcement that 650, 000 people in Sudan would receive food from Britain’s increasingly limited foreign aid budget in the form of 120 million pounds ($ 158 million ) for the upcoming year.
To help pay for an increase in military spending, the United Kingdom cut its support funds from 0.5 % of GDP to 0.3 % in February. Sudan, along with Ukraine and Gaza, will continue to be a top priority for American support, according to excellent minister Keir Starmer.
