More than 2 billion euros in aid to Sudan, torn apart by war for a year, was promised on Monday April 15 during a humanitarian conference organized in Paris. “We can announce that more than 2 billion euros will be mobilized,” said French President Emmanuel Macron, who clarified that only 190 million euros of commitments had been recorded before the meeting opened. Member countries of the European Union (EU) will contribute 900 million euros – France will contribute 110 million.
Co-chaired by France, Germany and the EU, this conference was to put this “forgotten crisis” back on the international stage, insisted the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, as well as the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic.
“For a year, the Sudanese have been victims of a terrible war (…) which produces only chaos and suffering,” lamented Mr. Séjourné. The Sudanese are also victims of forgetfulness and indifference. This is the purpose of our meetings today: to break the silence surrounding this conflict and to mobilize the international community. » “Only international pressure” will be able to push the belligerents to negotiate, said Mr. Borrell.
Ms. Baerbock, who met with Sudanese women, highlighted their “unspeakable suffering,” the Sudanese’s lack of “everything,” and their feeling of being abandoned. Furthermore, the German minister deplored the fact that the multiple mediation initiatives had had no effect. “We want to work for better coordination,” she said, urging the international community to “act in concert to bring the belligerents to the negotiating table and achieve a ceasefire.”
“War crimes and crimes against humanity”
The war in Sudan broke out on April 15, 2023 between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Bourhane and those of Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, his former deputy and commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has left thousands dead and caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
“This is more than a war between two rival parties. It is a war against the Sudanese people (…). Indiscriminate attacks that kill, injure and terrorize civilians could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity,” said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday.
