The United Nations has appointed diplomat Denise Brown as its new Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, succeeding Clementine Nquita Salami. The appointment comes as Sudan struggles with worsening humanitarian conditions triggered by the war that erupted in April 2023 across multiple states.
United Nations reports reveal alarming figures, with more than 1,050 people displaced and over 100 homes destroyed in Al-Qadarif and South Darfur. Brown brings nearly three decades of humanitarian experience, having led emergency missions in Ukraine and the Central African Republic under conflict conditions.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the appointment reflects the urgency of reinforcing aid delivery as suffering communities face escalating and immediate needs. He highlighted water, sanitation, hygiene, and emergency shelter as vital lifelines that must be provided to those trapped in conflict zones.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) voiced grave concern over intensified violence in El Fasher, North Darfur. Shelling there in recent days left seven civilians dead and more than seventy others injured, underscoring the scale of Sudan’s unfolding tragedy.
Brown’s task will be to navigate Sudan’s shattered landscape, where millions endure displacement, deprivation, and despair amid an unrelenting cycle of violence. The appointment carries weight beyond administration, symbolising the UN’s attempt to inject both capacity and resolve into Sudan’s broken humanitarian response. At a time when survival itself hangs by a thread, Brown must now transform global promises into tangible aid on the ground.
