Qatar Advocates for Urgent Humanitarian Response in Sudan
During a high-level ministerial meeting in New York, Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation, Lulwa Al Khater, emphasized the urgent need to prioritize the humanitarian response in Sudan. The meeting, convened alongside the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, was organized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations. Al Khater called for a renewed focus on the Sudan crisis, urging the international community to place the Sudan file back on the global agenda.
Al Khater outlined key principles that should guide any international approach to the Sudanese crisis. These include preserving Sudan’s sovereignty, ensuring the welfare of its citizens, and halting external interventions that have exacerbated the conflict. She highlighted the strategic significance of Sudan, a country that plays a crucial role in the Horn of Africa, and warned that the ongoing war has catastrophic implications for the region.
The meeting underscored alarming statistics regarding the humanitarian situation in Sudan. According to the World Health Organization, 70% to 80% of health facilities in the country are non-operational. Furthermore, the education system has collapsed, leaving nearly 100% of children out of school. Al Khater described the situation as the largest refugee tragedy globally, with 14 million people facing severe hunger and 13 regions on the brink of famine.
Al Khater expressed concern that without immediate action, the Sudan crisis could devolve into a routine issue, reducing the focus to merely providing humanitarian aid rather than addressing the underlying political and social challenges. She urged the international community to act swiftly and decisively to support the Sudanese people and restore stability in the region.
