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The impact of ongoing violence among rival military parties in Sudan is threatening to derail bilateral political progress with neighbouring South Sudan, worsen the fragile humanitarian situation, and pose fresh risks, top UN officials warned the Security Council on Tuesday.

“The outbreak of violence in the Sudan may deeply impact the chance for political progress on Abyei and border issues,” Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, told the Council.

Security in Abyei, a disputed oil-rich border region straddling both African nations, had been a point of contention, but agreements had been reached before the outbreak of violence in Sudan on 15 April, she said, providing updates to the UN Secretary-General's latest report on the unfolding situation.

Deployments disrupted

Among several pressing concerns were ongoing conflict-triggered disruptions to deployment routes of the Council-mandated UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), established in 2011 to implement bilateral border agreements, which Ms. Pobee also heads.

“With fighting ongoing and mediation efforts underway, the United Nations will continue to support Sudan and South Sudan when dialogue on Abyei resumes,” she said.

“The arrival of additional personnel and equipment will need to be postponed, affecting force capacity,” she said, adding that planning is currently underway to make alternative arrangements that minimize the delay while safeguarding the security of personnel and equipment.

Progress made

Prior to the crisis, she said UN country teams in Sudan and South Sudan, with UNISFA, had finalized administrative arrangements for the Abyei Joint Programme, and had begun implementing projects to create an environment conducive to peaceful co-existence, including a nutrition centre for women and children and vocational training for youth.

“UNISFA is monitoring the potential impact of the fighting in the Sudan, such as an influx of displaced persons, the entry of armed groups into the area or the emboldening of spoilers in local inter-communal relations,” she said, noting that evacuations have been conducted.

“While none of these risks have materialized in a major way so far, the Mission remains alert to their possibility,” she said. “With fighting ongoing and mediation efforts underway, the United Nations will continue to support the Sudan and South Sudan when dialogue on Abyei resumes.”

Juba raises concerns

Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa, told the Council said the conflict is jeopardizing pre-conflict stable relations between Juba, South Sudan's capital, and Khartoum.

“The humanitarian, security, economic and political consequences of developments in Sudan have raised concerns among the South Sudanese political leadership,” she said.

Thousands of South Sudanese hosted in Sudan are returning, with a potential of another 200,000 returnees fleeing the violence “if we do not see stability returning soon”, she said. This would pose a challenge to South Sudan, where two thirds of the population need humanitarian assistance.

Border safety risks

As Sudan is not currently in a position to effectively protect its borders, she raised additional concerns about a possible spike in cross-border movements of armed and criminal groups.

Meanwhile, the fighting in Sudan has already choked off deliveries of essential goods and food, and could threaten South Sudan's oil exports, she warned.

“The priority now is to stop the fighting and to start constructive negotiations that hopefully would lead to a permanent ceasefire,” she said, emphasizing that her Office will continue to engage with Sudan and South Sudan towards resolving outstanding issues.

Learn more about the “One UN” effort to build sustainable peace in Abyei here.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

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The number of internally displaced (IDPs) in Sudan has more than doubled in just the last week, since armed clashes erupted between rival militaries in multiple cities across Sudan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press briefing at the United Nations in Geneva, IOM's spokesperson Paul Dillon said that according to IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix, more than 700,000 people were now internally displaced by the fighting, which began on 15 April.  

The number of IDPs increased in many areas, including the capital, where clashes were continuing, he said: “Last Tuesday, the figure stood at 340,000. And, of course, prior to the fighting, an estimated 3.7 million people were internally displaced in Sudan.” 

Fleeing in many directions

Responding to a question about where internally displaced persons were heading, Mr. Dillon said the data was currently preliminary and being analysed. They were moving into multiple states, including White Nile and Khartoum.

Decisions to move were influenced by many different factors, including whether there was conflict in any given area. However, it was difficult for the people to find money, with cash distribution stalled, and the banking system, in effect, shut down.

Fuel is also difficult to come by and expensive, according to IOM.

Deliveries thwarted

“The IOM has stocks of non-food items in six warehouses around the country,” said the IOM spokesperson. “But to date, we have been unable to deliver to those in need.

“The fighting must end and humanitarians must be allowed to resume their work, providing assistance to those most in need before the situation spirals further out of control.” 

Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday condemned looting at the main compound of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Khartoum over the weekend. This was the latest targeting of humanitarian facilities since the start of the crisis, now into its fourth week. Most, if not all UN agencies and humanitarian partners, have been impacted by large-scale looting.

Information vacuum

“At this point, we don't have any information, we aren't even able to confirm the extent of the looting in the Khartoum office, but reiterate that the food, the vehicles, the fuel, the assets that have been looted from WFP, go towards the response for the people in Sudan. And this directly hurts the people of Sudan,” said Isheeta Sumra, WFP's Communications Officer speaking from the agency's headquarters in Rome.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) also reported attacks and looting of healthcare facilities in Sudan.

“Since 15 April, WHO has verified 28 attacks on health, leading to eight deaths and 18 injuries. More reports are under verification,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević.

“These attacks include looting, obstruction of access to healthcare, violent attacks using weapons and the forced occupation of facilities. Unfortunately, the looting is affecting healthcare facilities. And this is something that severely undermines the possibility of Sudanese people to seek healthcare.” 

At the same briefing, the WHO said 604 people had been killed and more than 5,000 injured since the violence erupted in mid-April between the rival armed factions, although the UN has repeatedly said the figures are likely to be an underestimate.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.