The Foreign Policy magazine published an article about Sudan, urging foreign powers to concentrate on delivering humanitarian aid to the nation before focusing on negotiations, arguing that setting priorities in the current way further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the country.
The article, written by Soha Moussa, a Sudan and Greater Middle East researcher based in New York, noted the considerable and tragic damage resulting from the war that has extensively expanded across different areas of the country since its outbreak on April 15.
Collapse of Social and Medical Services
The war has resulted in the death of over 12,000 individuals, displaced 7.3 million people, and led to the collapse of political, social, and medical services, placing more than 24 million of the country’s population of 46 million in need of assistance.
The author pointed to the escalation of violence and displacement with the discontinuation of humanitarian aid programs. She noted that initiatives for negotiation between the warring parties have been prioritized and focused on, instead of concentrating on the provision of humanitarian aid and alleviating the suffering of the citizens.
Reliance on negotiations implies the incorrect assumption that one of the warring factions will emerge victorious and the other will concede, and that the victor will be responsible for the reconstruction of Sudan. She added that the recent determination expressed by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that the warring forces, especially the Rapid Support Forces, committed war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, would mean that inviting these parties to the negotiation table would lead to a bleak future for Sudan.
The International Community’s Priorities Are Outdated
The writer explained that the international community’s priorities are severely outdated compared to the current humanitarian situation in Sudan. She called on international organizations and foreign powers seeking peace in Sudan to strive for the restoration of civil life, instead of engaging in negotiations she described as impractical and often unsuccessful.
For example, the ongoing failure of Sudan’s healthcare system, just one of the many failures in the country amid continuing violence, has led to the increased spread of cholera, measles, dengue fever, and food insecurity. It’s becoming increasingly clear that if guns and bombs don’t kill Sudanese citizens, then the failure of the healthcare system and shortage of medical supplies will.
