The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has urged Sudan’s warring factions to observe a humanitarian ceasefire during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
The call was made by UAE Minister of State Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan during a high-level conference on Sudan held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The conference, organized in partnership with Ethiopia, the African Union (AU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), aimed to address Sudan’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
“We urge the warring parties to honor this sacred period by implementing a humanitarian ceasefire to ensure urgent and unhindered aid access,” Al Nahyan stated.
The Emirati official emphasized that priority should be given to vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and women, who are bearing the brunt of the conflict.
During the conference, he also announced an additional $200 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, raising the UAE’s total contribution to $600.4 million since the war began in April 2023.
Sudan has been engulfed in violence since April 2023, with clashes between General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces killing more than 20,000 people and displacing 14 million, according to the UN.
However, independent research from US universities estimates the actual death toll to be as high as 130,000, painting a far grimmer picture of the crisis.
Global and UN agencies have repeatedly warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe, with millions at risk of famine due to severe food shortages.
The conflict has spread to 13 of Sudan’s 18 states, fueling concerns that the situation could spiral further out of control.
