Massad Boulos, the US assistant to the president for Arab and African affairs, said international efforts to establish a humanitarian truce in Sudan and open safe corridors for aid deliveries have faced obstacles and complications from General al-Burhan’s SAF, preventing implementation despite the urgent humanitarian need across the country.
Speaking to Sky News Arabia, Boulos said sustained diplomatic efforts had been underway for some time in coordination with the United Nations and several countries, including the United States, to develop a UN-backed mechanism aimed at facilitating humanitarian access and enabling civilians to safely return to their areas.
He explained that the mechanism was initially proposed in response to a request from General al-Burhan’s SAF, but said the military authorities failed to engage after the proposal was presented.
“There were obstacles and demands placed by the Sudanese army aimed at undermining the humanitarian efforts,” Boulos said.
He stressed that the core objective of the UN initiative was to ensure aid reaches all Sudanese cities and regions while also supporting the safe return of civilians displaced by the conflict.
Boulos added that obstructing humanitarian initiatives requires “appropriate steps” to ensure Sudanese civilians are not deprived of urgently needed assistance amid the ongoing war.
