The United Nations reveals the army’s approval and rapid support for the meeting in Geneva

The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths revealed that the warring parties in the Sudan had been invited to Geneva to discuss how civilians could access assistance and, speaking to journalists in Geneva, added that there was agreement in principle between the parties and that details of any meeting remained to be worked out.

Addressing diplomats at the International Organization’s headquarters in Geneva, he said, “The international community continues to forget the Sudan.”

“There is a certain kind of cruelty in terms of the world of humanitarian action: competing in suffering and competing between regions: I suffer more than you, so I need to get more attention and more money.”

On Wednesday, the United Nations urged states not to forget civilians who are moaning under war in the Sudan and launched an appeal to raise $4.1 billion to meet their humanitarian needs as well as to provide support to those who have fled to neighbouring countries.

The United Nations states that half of the Sudan’s population, some 25 million people, needed humanitarian assistance and protection, while more than 1.5 million fled to the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

In a joint appeal with UNHCR on Wednesday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called for $2.7 billion in funding to provide humanitarian assistance to 14.7 million people.

UNHCR requested $1.4 billion to support approximately 2.7 million people in five neighbouring countries of the Sudan under this appeal.