U.S. Calls on UN Security Council to Take Action for Aid Delivery from Chad to Sudan
The United States issued a stern warning on Thursday, indicating its intention to press the U.N. Security Council into action to deliver aid to famine-stricken people in Sudan. This action may involve permitting cross-border aid deliveries from Chad if the Sudanese armed forces fail to restore full access to humanitarian assistance.
As the one-year mark of the conflict in Sudan approaches, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation, blaming both warring factions for obstructing aid efforts and disregarding the Security Council’s call for an immediate ceasefire.
According to Thomas-Greenfield, the conflict, which erupted on April 15, 2023, has left nearly 25 million Sudanese people—half the population—in need of aid. Approximately 8 million individuals have been displaced, and nearly 5 million are at risk of severe hunger in the coming months.
Thomas-Greenfield accused the Sudanese armed forces of obstructing aid delivery from Chad to Sudan’s Darfur region, which is controlled by the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF). She emphasized the urgent need to reopen the border to prevent further loss of life, citing the dire situation in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur, where a child reportedly dies every two hours.
Should the Sudanese armed forces fail to comply, Thomas-Greenfield urged the Security Council to swiftly intervene to ensure the delivery and distribution of life-saving aid, including the potential implementation of a cross-border mechanism. Such measures have been authorized by the Security Council in the past, notably for humanitarian operations in Syria.
The United States has accused the warring parties in Sudan of committing war crimes and is considering a resumption of peace talks in Saudi Arabia on April 18. Reports from U.N. sanctions monitors have revealed alarming levels of violence in Sudan’s West Darfur region, with between 10,000 and 15,000 people killed in ethnic clashes involving the RSF and allied militia last year.
