On August 20th local time, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the United States, Switzerland, the United Nations, and the African Union issued a joint statement, calling on all parties to Sudan’s armed conflict to take urgent actions to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access.
The statement expressed deep concern about the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan, with an increasing number of civilians facing famine and severe malnutrition, while humanitarian response efforts were being hindered. The statement urged all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and their private property, and allow and assist in the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need. The statement also called for the removal of all obstacles hindering humanitarian activities, ensuring无障碍access for humanitarian convoys and personnel on relevant supply routes, opening safe corridors for civilians to receive aid, restoring communications in all areas of Sudan, and protecting critical civilian infrastructure such as energy, water supply, and hygiene.
The World Food Programme (WFP) suffered an attack on one of its convoys in Sudan. On the 20th, WFP spokesperson Wathanasa indicated that a convoy of the organization, carrying humanitarian aid, was attacked near Melit, in North Darfur State, western Sudan. The convoy comprised of 16 trucks carrying food supplies for civilians in North Darfur. Three trucks in the convoy were damaged and caught fire during the attack, but no casualties were reported among the convoy members.
The Sudan Rapid Support Forces issued a statement on the same day, claiming that the Sudan Armed Forces launched a drone attack on the WFP convoy. The Sudan Armed Forces have not yet responded to this attack.
On April 15th, 2023, the Sudan Armed Forces and the Sudan Rapid Support Forces erupted into armed conflict in the capital, Khartoum, with fighting subsequently spreading to other regions. The more than two-year-long armed conflict has resulted in nearly 30,000 deaths and over 12 million displaced persons.
In August 2024, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Switzerland hosted a ceasefire dialogue between the conflicting parties in Sudan in Geneva, Switzerland, with Egypt, the UAE, the United Nations, and the African Union attending as observers to the dialogue.（Source: Zhao YuFang from the Central Station）
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