We must act now to avert humanitarian catastrophe in Chad, says IOM DDG Ugochi

United Nations (UN) has warned that Sudan is on the brink of a full-scale civil war, as Egypt readies to host a summit on Thursday, July 13, to discuss ways to end the 12-week conflict between rival Sudanese military factions.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he remained “deeply concerned that the ongoing war between the armed forces has pushed Sudan to the brink of a full-scale civil war, potentially destabilising the entire region.”

The fighting that erupted on April 15 in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, has driven more than 2.9 million people from their homes, including almost 700,000, who have fled to neighbouring countries, many of which are struggling with poverty and the impact of their own internal conflicts.

The summit in Cairo will aim to “develop effective mechanisms” with neighbouring states to settle the conflict peacefully, in coordination with other regional or international efforts, Egypt’s presidency said in a statement yesterday.

Diplomatic efforts to halt fighting between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary have, so far, proved ineffective, with competing initiatives creating confusion over how the warring parties might be brought to negotiate.

Neither Egypt, which is seen as the Sudanese army’s most important foreign ally, nor the United Arab Emirates, which has had close ties to the RSF, has, so far, played a prominent public role.

The two countries were also not involved in talks in Jeddah, led by the United States and Saudi Arabia that adjourned last month after failing to secure a lasting ceasefire.

Sudanese delegations, including from civilian parties that shared power with the army and RSF after the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir, four years ago, are expected to meet today in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for exploratory talks.

Already, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, is in Addis Ababa, to engage with African leaders, including senior representatives of governments in the region, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and African Union Commission. She will also meet with Sudanese civilians committed to ending the conflict and restoring democratic governance in Sudan.

“The message of African and international partners to the parties to the conflict remains clear: there is no acceptable military solution to this conflict.

“We call on the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to immediately end the fighting and return to the barracks; adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law; and allow unhindered humanitarian access to meet the emergency needs of civilians.

“We echo the call of countries in the region to prevent any external interference and military support, which would only intensify and prolong the conflict. We support the Sudanese people as they work in broad-based groups to resume the stalled political transition to realise freedom, peace, and justice in Sudan,” she added.

MEANWHILE, a window of opportunity to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Eastern Chad, which is on the fringes of Sudan, is rapidly closing, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said.

According to IOM estimates, 20 per cent (45,000) of the 225,000 people displaced into Chad are Chadian returnees and stranded migrants from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Niger, Norway and Uganda. While a few of them have been able to integrate into local communities, the majority live in extremely precarious conditions across 25 sites, including a high school in the border town of Adré. 

The Deputy Director General of Operations, IOM, Ugochi Daniels, who made this plea yesterday, after meeting with Chadian women forced to flee the ongoing fighting in Sudan, said: “As the situation in Sudan, and particularly in Darfur deteriorates, I have witnessed firsthand the severe impact this senseless violence has had on ordinary civilians in Chad. 

“The knock-on effects of the crisis in Sudan could have serious humanitarian implications on neighbouring countries, particularly Chad, which was already responding to a significant displacement crisis before this influx. I have heard stories of former teachers, nurses, and traders whose lives were upended by the fighting, who have had to return to Chad, and now need support to rebuild their lives. I appeal to the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to cease hostilities, restore calm, and begin a dialogue to resolve the crisis. 

“The first responders to this humanitarian crisis were local community members who provided returnees with space to settle, blankets to shelter themselves, and food. Despite their already limited resources, they have shown solidarity and generosity to their brothers and sisters in need. But today, as more people continue to arrive in Eastern Chad, local communities and authorities are reaching their breaking point.”  

Ugochi added: “Since the beginning of the crisis in Sudan, IOM has been on the ground to support the Chadian Government’s efforts to respond to the situation. We are helping returnees meet some of their immediate needs through shelter, water trucking and unconditional cash assistance. We have also set up a humanitarian evacuation mechanism to enable stranded migrants to return home and reunite with their families. But this is just a drop in this ocean of despair. The looming rainy season is already threatening to cut off entire communities, as rivers are filling with water, thus hindering the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.”