The spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday said Ramtane Lamamra, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, is in Port Sudan, where he held meetings with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, as well as with other senior officials.
Stéphane Dujarric, who was briefing the media in New York, said Lamamra also met Kamil Idris, the Transitional Prime Minister, and Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“Mr. Lamamra will travel tomorrow (Tuesday) to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for further consultations with key stakeholders, including senior African Union and Ethiopian officials,” he said. “The urgent need for better protection of civilians is at the forefront of all his discussions during these visits.”
On the humanitarian front, Dujarric said a bleak picture continues to be painted as needs continue to rise, mainly across the Darfur and Kordofan regions, as well as in Northern and River Nile states.
“OCHA reports that aid organizations still cannot reach civilians inside El Fasher. The International Organization for Migration estimates that as of last week, more than 106,000 people had been displaced from the city and surrounding villages since late October,” Dujarric said. “Nearly 80 percent of those displaced remain in rural villages west and north of the city, without adequate support or safe passage for those wishing to travel onward.”
“Meanwhile, displacement from North Darfur and the Kordofan region is deepening needs in Northern and River Nile states,” he added.
He revealed that over the weekend, humanitarian colleagues met with local officials and displaced families who fled to these states.
“Their assessment showed that these families urgently need shelter and other essential items, as well as health services and water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance,” he reported. “In Northern State alone, local authorities estimate that 7,000 people who sought refuge there in recent weeks are scattered across rural Dabbah, with more than 300 people arriving each and every day.”
“Our partners and we are providing primary healthcare, food assistance, safe water, and psychosocial support, but funding shortfalls have left critical gaps, including in our ability to provide latrine coverage,” he added.
Dujarric reiterated calls to all parties to urgently guarantee safe, unhindered humanitarian access and protect civilians, including aid workers.
“It is equally vital that donors commit additional resources to reach people in greatest need across Sudan, including support for the local organizations and networks on the front lines of the response,” he concluded.