“This must be the first step in providing a break from the conflict and paving the way for permanent cessation,” he said, briefing reporters at UN headquarters in New York.
Discussion and change
The AU meeting brought together the UN, the League of Arab States, the East African Union IGAD, the European Union, and countries committed to ending the conflict in Sudan, where warring armed groups are fighting for power. from about a week. .
Hundreds have been killed in fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and a specialist group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who are in dispute over the return to civilian rule.
Humanitarians have also been prevented from carrying out their rescue operations, due to attacks and looting.
Mr. Guterres said the cessation of hostilities must be followed by important communicationAllowing for a successful transition, begins with the election of a civilian government.
Concern for UN officials
Him stop the targeting of humanitarian workers and assetsand reminded parties of their international obligations, including to ensure the safety and security of aid workers.
“I am also very concerned about the situation of the United Nations staff, many of them are trapped in their homes in areas of active conflict. We are doing everything in our power to be able to support them,” he continued.
Most of the fighting took place in the capital, Khartoum, where residents were trapped in their homes for days.
Secretary General António Guterres briefed the media on the situation in Sudan.
Neglect of health
Thousands have fled the city, even as evacuation has become more 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 concerning and heartbreaking. Over 330 people have died so far, and nearly 3,200 have been injured.“The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, wrote in a statement posted on his official Twitter account.
Tedros condemns all loss of life, especially attacks on civilians and health. He expressed deep concern over the reports of the effects he received on health facilities, on the background that attacks on health are a it violates international law.
Jobs in Chaos
“Lack of safe access, of electricity, food, water, personnel and medical supplies are scarce makes it almost impossible for many health applications to work at the exact time when there are thousands who are injured and need urgent treatment,” he said.
The head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also called on organizations to respect their international commitments to protect boys and girls from harm and to ensure that humanitarians can quickly reach children in need.
Child under fire
“Five days of heavy fighting in Sudan, and four failed interventions, have already taken place the destroyer is not on the countrymen” UNICEF Director Catherine Russell said in a statement. “If the violence does not stop, this cost will only increase.”
He said at least nine children were reported killed, and more than 50 were reported injured as fighting continued in Khartoum, Darfur states and North Kordofan, although insecurity made it difficult to obtain and verify information.
“We have received reports of children who are kept in schools and care centers while fighting is going on around them, of Children’s hospitals are forced to leave as the shell approaches, and hospitals, health centers and other important infrastructures are damaged or destroyed, limiting access to essential and life-saving care and medicine,” he added.
Smoke rises after an explosion in Al-Tayif neighborhood of Khartoum, Sudan.
Important care is prevention
Humanitarian needs in Sudan are at record levels already at the beginning of the year, according to the UN relief agency, OCHA, with nearly a third of the population, almost 16 million people, need help.
Mrs. Russell said it was the crisis interrupting critical life-saving treatment for an estimated 50,000 malnourished children, who require round-the-clock care.
“The fight again put at risk the cold chain in Sudan, including more than $40 million worth of vaccines and insulindue to breakdowns in power supply and the inability to replenish generators with fuel,” he added.
Hunger can arise
Meanwhile, the World Food Program (WFP) warned that the violence could push millions more into hunger.
WFP had planned to support some 7.6 million people in Sudan this year but was forced to temporarily suspend operations as the conflict prevented organizations from carrying out activities such as delivering emergency food. specifically, providing school meals, and preventing and treating malnutrition.
The UN agency has also suffered heavy losses as three staff members were killed in a crossfire on Saturday, and two suffered serious injuries. WFP added that its staff, offices, vehicles, equipment and food stocks have also been in the direct line of fire.
UN aid planes are on the ground
The UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which WFP manages on a global basis, is completely grounded. A plane in Khartoum was damaged beyond repair, and at least 10 cars and six food trucks were stolen..
In addition, WFP guest houses, offices and shops in Nyala, South Darfur, have been destroyed overrun and lhear, It is the result loss of up to 4,000 metric tonnes of food.
With news of Sudan’s health system approaching collapse, the UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA, is concerned about pregnant women who need ongoing care and access to hospitals where they can safely give birth.
Protection of expectant mothers
UNFPA Regional Director Laila Bakur, who spoke to UN News on Wednesdayestimated that there will be approximately 219,000 mothers in Khartoum alone.
“We saw that There is little we can do in terms of providing careand they are not able to access any kind of safe delivery,” he said.
Ms. Baker spoke about one of the worst incidents UNFPA has encountered, about an expectant mother caught in a fire and hit by a bullet while trying to get to the hospital.
“Although he rushed to the hospital – UNFPA provides services even on the telephone in terms of guidance and telephone wherever possible – we were able to save the child, the child, but the woman died in sorrow,” he said.
“We are very concerned that the conditions on the ground where respect for civilian life and access to medical care are not respected by the attacking groups will lead to more cases like this,” he added.
“We really and truly want, and ask all conflicting parties to respect international humanitarian law, especially where access to health care is concerned.”
