The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Argus support to conflict victims “we cannot let Sudan become another forgotten crisis”

PORT SUDAN – One year of conflict in Sudan is taking a devastating human toll. Over 8.5 million people have been displaced, and tens of thousands have been killed or wounded. The acute shortages of essential resources such as food, water and fuel, and a seriously degraded healthcare system are just some of the terrible consequences of the fighting.

The Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) is at the forefront of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement’s efforts to ensure that Sudanese civilians receive the humanitarian protection and assistance they desperately need.

“We have mobilized 4,000 volunteers from across the country to provide First Aid and help evacuate the wounded. Our staff and volunteers distribute food and essential items, provide psychological support, and search for the missing”, says Aida Al-Sayed Abdullah, Secretary-General of the SRCS. “We urge the international community to increase their support to help us meet the urgent needs of the communities trapped in the conflict. We cannot let Sudan become another forgotten crisis,” insists the Secretary-General of the SRCS.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and nine participating national societies (Danish Red Cross, German Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, Qatar Red Crescent, Spanish Red Cross, Swedish Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross, and Turkish Red Crescent) have been supporting and working alongside the Sudanese Red Crescent Society to protect and support people affected by the ongoing conflict and natural disasters across the country.

SRCS with its partners has been pivotal in delivering essential medical aid to hospitals, offering relief to displaced people and their host communities, and reuniting families separated by turmoil—facilitating crucial phone conversations among separated family members. SRCS through its key access across the country, has been able to provide the most needed support to thousands affected across the country. 
Beyond immediate assistance, the RCRC contribution to the response extends to financial and material support to SRCS, alongside providing technical advice and strengthening the capacity- building.

The IFRC launched a Federation-wide Emergency Appeal seeking 60 million Swiss Francs to support the SRCS business continuity as well as to scale up its life-saving humanitarian response in the country. The IFRC has also launched a Regional Population Movement seeking 42 million Swiss Francs to support humanitarian responses and activities of the National Societies in the neighboring countries of Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR), Ethiopia and Libya.

The RCRC Movement calls on the parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law. When civilians are attacked, those hors de combat not protected, civilian objects destroyed, the consequences are felt far beyond the initial tragedy and make reconciliation even more difficult.

The RCRC Movement is committed to providing protection and life-saving relief to the people suffering the horrors of the ongoing conflict. It urges however that more funding is needed to sustain the SRCS operations in the year ahead.
ENDS

For more information, please contact: