The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed in an official statement its deep concern following the declaration of famine in parts of North Darfur, especially in Zamzam camp, which houses more than half a million displaced persons, and the possibility of famine in Abu Shouk and Al Salam camps, and the other nine Sudanese states whose residents are living under catastrophic levels of hunger.
In this regard, the UAE welcomed the Security Council meeting held today, which focused on the urgent need to address the famine in Sudan, and stresses the importance of the international community continuing its focus on Sudan.
The UAE stressed that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan requires an emergency response that helps secure a ceasefire and facilitates the rapid delivery of humanitarian aid, as trucks loaded with life-saving humanitarian aid are still stuck on the Sudanese border while thousands are suffering from hunger in Zamzam camp and North Darfur.
The statement indicated that this requires the Sudanese Armed Forces to lift restrictions on the access of humanitarian aid, and the Rapid Support Forces must enable humanitarian organizations to carry out their work in safety and without fear of being exposed to any attacks, in order to enable them to reach those in need.
The UAE also categorically condemned the use of famine as a weapon of war, stressing that depriving civilians of access to the humanitarian aid they need, and launching attacks indiscriminately, making it impossible for the population to request it, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
The statement stressed that the horrific developments taking place on the ground require an urgent increase in the volume of humanitarian aid delivered across borders and conflict lines in order to save millions of lives. The international community cannot allow the Sudanese people to be used as a political bargaining chip.
The statement also called on the Security Council to use all tools available to it to address the catastrophic situation in Sudan, including considering granting UN humanitarian agencies, if necessary, a mandate to reach those in need throughout Sudan, whether across conflict lines or across borders.
The statement stressed that this decisive action by the Council is necessary to coordinate international efforts to bring the necessary aid from neighboring countries in order to stop this famine. The statement renewed the UAE’s call on all warring parties to agree to an immediate and permanent ceasefire, to prioritize saving human lives rather than focusing on military objectives, to allow unhindered, safe, rapid and sustainable passage of humanitarian aid throughout the country, and to participate constructively in peace talks.
The statement commended the efforts of the United States in organizing the upcoming ceasefire talks in Geneva, and the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Switzerland to host these talks jointly.
The statement concluded that the UAE will continue to support all ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful solution to this conflict, noting that Abu Dhabi will remain a humanitarian partner to Sudan, as it has allocated 70 million US dollars to meet urgent humanitarian needs through United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations, in addition to 30 million US dollars to regional countries to support Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries.
Source: RT
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2024-08-07 11:09:57
