Egypt leads meeting to urge global support for Sudan’s humanitarian crisis

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Egypt, in cooperation with several regional and international partners, organized a ministerial meeting on Wednesday to support the humanitarian response in Sudan and the region. The meeting, held in cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, took place on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The meeting aimed to mobilize international efforts to address the funding gaps and ensure the fulfilment of financial pledges to deal with the humanitarian repercussions of the crisis in Sudan, which have been low so far. The meeting also followed up on the outcomes of the high-level conference that was held in June.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry expressed Egypt’s solidarity with the Sudanese people and reiterated Egypt’s efforts to help them overcome the current ordeal. He highlighted Egypt’s political and humanitarian efforts since the beginning of the crisis, especially through the initiative of Sudan’s neighbouring countries.

He also noted Egypt’s commitment to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people and host more than 5 million Sudanese citizens, who enjoy freedom of movement and access to services on an equal basis with Egyptian citizens. He added that Egypt has received 310,000 Sudanese citizens so far and is providing them with humanitarian, medical and psychological support.

Shoukry warned that the neighbouring countries of Sudan should not bear the brunt of the crisis alone, as it may increase the fragility of host communities and threaten peaceful coexistence. He also stressed the need for equitable sharing of burdens and responsibilities as the only solution to ease the pressures on those countries.

In this context, the foreign ministers of the states neighbouring Sudan (Egypt, Chad, Central Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya, and South Sudan) held the second meeting at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations in New York, in coordination with Chad. The meeting was based on the results of the N’djamena meeting in August. Representatives of the Arab League and the African Union also participated in the meeting.

The meeting affirmed the adoption of the roadmap formulated during the N’djamena meeting and the agreement to implement its provisions through the collaborative efforts of Sudan’s neighbouring countries.

These efforts involve taking specific actions covering political, security, and humanitarian aspects to address the ongoing crisis, to ensure stability and uphold Sudan’s sovereignty.

The meeting reviewed the endeavours of Sudan’s neighbouring countries toward resolving the crisis, their dialogues with various Sudanese parties, and the coordination among neighbouring countries and other mechanisms addressing the Sudan crisis. Furthermore, consultations took place, and viewpoints were exchanged regarding priorities for the next phase. It was agreed to undertake practical steps to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Sudan and to mobilize international efforts to address the humanitarian situation. This encompasses providing essential assistance to neighbouring countries hosting a large and growing number of Sudanese refugees.

The foreign ministers agreed to continue coordination and communication and to convene the third meeting of foreign ministers of Sudan’s neighbouring countries in Cairo on a date to be determined soon through diplomatic channels, to assess the progress made in implementing the roadmap’s provisions.