Sudan Accuses Western Countries of “Politicizing” Humanitarian Action

Sudan has accused Western countries of “politicizing” humanitarian action and trying to pin the blame for “systematic obstruction” of humanitarian aid on the Sudanese army and government.

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) criticized, in a press statement, the joint statement issued by a group of Western countries on October 18 regarding the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

The ministry said that “The statement, therefore, epitomizes the worst forms of politicization of humanitarian work. Conversely, the generous humanitarian support offered by friendly and sisterly nations, without flaunting or political agenda, must be commended.”

It added that the statement included clear bias against the Sudanese government and the Sudanese armed forces, and attempted without any basis to pin the blame for systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid on the Sudanese armed forces and government.
“A joint statement on the humanitarian situation in Sudan, that is evidently biased against the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)”, it explained.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry denied that government authorities practiced any deliberate obstruction of the issuance of entry visas and movement permits for humanitarian workers.

MFA expressed surprise at the call by Western countries to allow organizations to operate independently and in isolation from government agencies, saying that “It is perplexing that the statement calls for humanitarian organizations to operate independently from the Government oversight, a practice that has no precedent in the history of humanitarian work, unless the intention is to undermine state authority, Sudan with a view to fomenting a statelessness situation in the country.”

On October 18, about ten countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Germany, called on the warring parties in Sudan to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches millions of people who need “urgent assistance.”

Hereunder is the original text of Foreign Ministry on the group of Western countries’ statement:

The Republic of Sudan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Office of the Spokesperson and Media Directorate

Press Statement

A number of Western countries issued on 18 October 2024 a joint statement on the humanitarian situation in Sudan, that is evidently biased against the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

The statement arbitrarily accused SAF and Government of Sudan of systematically obstructing humanitarian assistance. Such an unfounded accusation can only be understood as an attempt to downplay the terrorist militia’s use of starvation as a weapon in its war against the Sudanese people. This is exemplified by its ongoing siege of El Fasher, escalating its shelling of civilians, and the blockade of humanitarian aid deliveries destined to the city. The UN Security Council has failed to implement its Resolution 2736, passed in June, which demands the Militia to halt its siege on El Fasher and de-escalate the situation . The Militia has, however, responded exactly with the opposite, assured of impunity, for its regional sponsor became a member of the self-proclaimed “Aligned for Advancing of Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan,” (ALPS) as cited in the statement.

Contrary to the statement, the Humanitarian Aid Commission, with its extensive experience in humanitarian work, continues to play the leading role in facilitating and expediting all processes related to aid delivery. It is unfortunate that the statement equates this well-established national institution with a fictitious body created by the terrorist militia as a cover for its crimes, just as it misuses the logo of UN agencies for the same purpose, without being met with a seious response from Western countries.

Thus, the claim that there is a deliberate delay in issuing visas or movement permits is entirely baseless. This accusation is disproven by the fact that over 90% of visa requests are readily approved. As for movement permits, they are meant to protect humanitarian workers in war situations, pursuant to the Government’s responsibility for their safety.

It is perplexing that the statement calls for humanitarian organizations to operate independently from the Government oversight, a practice that has no precedent in the history of humanitarian work, unless the intention is to undermine state authority, Sudan with a view to fomenting a statelessness situation in the country.

The statement was released on the same day that the Government of Sudan introduced additional steps to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery by opening the airports of Kassala, Dongola, and Kadugli for aid flights, bringing the number of operational airports to six, alongside seven land crossings. Yet, the statement chose to ignore these measures, reducing the issue of aid access to the using of a single crossing point, which, in reality, has been used as an entry route for weapons and supplies for the Militia to commit massacres and starve civilians.

The statement furthermore overlooked the poor record of these same countries in fulfilling their humanitarian aid pledges, even with the opening of the Adré crossing. It equally ignored the widespread hunger in the Sudanese refugee camps in Chad, a country these nationd portray as the main gateway for aid, and failef to mention that the Jeddah Agreement addresses the issue of aid across conflict lines.

The statement, therefore, epitomizes the worst forms of politicization of humanitarian work. Conversely, the generous humanitarian support offered by friendly and sisterly nations, without flaunting or political agenda, must be commended.

Wednesday, 23 October 2024.