“The United States,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, “welcomes the resumption of humanitarian assistance deliveries through the Adré border crossing from Chad into Sudan.” There are also diplomatic efforts to reopen emergency aid deliveries to famine-stricken portions of Darfur. The lack of humanitarian aid access into Darfur over the past six months has exacerbated the historic levels of famine and acute hunger across Sudan, particularly within Zamzam camp.
This breakthrough in aid delivery builds on the momentum made during talks this month in Switzerland with the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group, which includes the United States, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union, and the UN. This joint effort secured the first guarantees from the warring parties for safe, unhindered access through the Adré crossing and the Dabbah Road, which could allow aid deliveries to nearly one million people already facing starvation. Active negotiations continue to ensure humanitarian access from Port Sudan to the south of Sudan.
Together, these routes would significantly increase humanitarian access to parts of Sudan that have been difficult to reach with aid. More than 25 million people face acute hunger, and over 10 million have been displaced from their homes. Famine is ongoing in parts of Darfur. That’s why it is critical the international community use every tool at its disposal to increase the flow of relief into and within Sudan.
The United States also welcomes commitments by the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, at the Switzerland talks this month to refrain from attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries and to streamline procedures for expediting emergency access to food and medicine. “We also welcome the RSF’s commitment to a code of conduct for its fighters that includes a command,” to “refrain from violence against women, exploitation at checkpoints, and destruction of crops,” said Secretary Blinken. “These new commitments must be reflected in the actions of [the] RSF troops on the ground, who have committed ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity since the outbreak of war against Sudanese civilians,” he said.
“There is no military solution to the crisis in Sudan,” said Secretary Blinken. The United States remains committed to working with its international partners to engage both parties on the need for direct talks and an end to the violence.
