The Sudanese Ambassador and a senior official from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have held in-depth discussions in Asmara regarding the growing humanitarian crisis in Sudan and urgent relief priorities.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sudan to Eritrea, Osama Ahmed Abdel-Bari, received Edem Wosorno, Director of Global Operations at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York, at his office. Ms. Wosorno is currently on an official working visit to the Eritrean capital, Asmara.
According to a Sudanese diplomatic source who provided information to Sudanhorizon, the meeting focused extensively on the current situation in Sudan. In particular, they reviewed the multifaceted challenges and the severity of the humanitarian crisis brought about by the ongoing internal conflict.
Ambassador Abdel-Bari highlighted that the daily needs of the population have increased dramatically in areas of Sudan heavily affected by the war. Consequently, he emphasized that the international community, and OCHA in particular, must play a more active and effective role than ever before to deliver basic necessities and provide support to the most vulnerable segments of the affected population.
During the discussions, the Ambassador stressed that for humanitarian efforts to succeed, full coordination must be established with the relevant national institutions in Sudan. He pointed out that aid distribution should be carried out based on the priorities set by official Sudanese institutions. This approach, he noted, serves as a guarantee to ensure that aid reaches those in need efficiently, effectively, and equitably.
Furthermore, Ambassador Abdel-Bari firmly underscored that any humanitarian response operation must respect Sudan’s national sovereignty as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks governing humanitarian work within the country.
The diplomatic source added that the meeting consensus pointed toward keeping humanitarian response operations free from any political or military agendas. It was emphasized that aid work must focus exclusively on alleviating civilian suffering and supporting affected communities.
This purely humanitarian approach is expected to significantly contribute to supporting rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in areas that were previously hit by conflict but have now regained relative peace and stability.
For her part, the UN Director of Global Operations, Edem Wosorno, commended the excellent relations and productive cooperation between the UN office in Asmara and the Sudanese Embassy. She noted that the high level of coordination and mutual understanding between the two sides has contributed positively to addressing numerous pressing humanitarian issues.
