UN aid chief condemns world's lack of action on Sudan

On Monday, the UN humanitarian chief sharply criticized the international community for its lack of action in Sudan, as civilian deaths continue to rise and aid operations face significant funding shortages. According to Tom Fletcher, the UN aid chief, more than two-thirds of Sudan's population now require urgent life-saving assistance.

Fletcher warned that the world is sending drones, weapons, and mercenaries, while the people of Sudan desperately need food, water, and medicine. In the first half of the year alone, about 1,400 civilians were killed in Sudan, with over 1,100 of those deaths attributed to drone strikes. Fletcher highlighted that drones are striking markets, fuel stations, and crucial power and water infrastructure in El Obeid, North Kordofan, where recent fighting has forced 15,000 families to flee into the city since mid-July. Air strikes have also been reported southwest of the city in the past 72 hours.

Despite the ongoing violence, aid agencies managed to reach nearly 11 million people with some form of assistance by the end of June. However, Fletcher emphasized that the funding remains far below the required level on the ground. Massad Boulos, a US presidential adviser on Arab and African Affairs, echoed Fletcher's concerns and urged the Security Council to take more decisive action.

Boulos described the situation in Sudan as a "nightmare" for civilians, noting that the brutal war waged by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has discredited their claims to legitimate governance. He emphasized the devastating impact of the increased use of armed drones, with more than 1,120 Sudanese civilians already killed in the first half of the year.

Boulos called for an expansion of the Darfur arms embargo, which is set to expire on September 12 if no new agreement is reached. He also proposed expanding the embargo to cover all of Sudan and explicitly include drones and related technology within its scope. Washington has submitted a draft Security Council resolution to achieve this, requesting the UN Secretary-General to increase experts on the 1591 panel and facilitate collaboration with other regional panels to better inform the council about asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes.

Boulos warned that if the Security Council fails to act, the Sudanese people will suffer the most severe consequences.