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On Wednesday, April 15, the German capital, Berlin, hosted an international conference on Sudan, in an attempt to mobilize international efforts to end the ongoing conflict and stop the ongoing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country..
The conference coincided with the third anniversary of the outbreak of war in April 2023, and is considered the third European edition, after the Paris and London conferences in 2024 and 2025, as part of ongoing international efforts to find a way out of the conflict.
A number of Western countries participated in the conference, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, along with Arab countries, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates, as well as international and regional organizations, in light of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
The Berlin conference focused on three main axes: a ceasefire, facilitating the arrival of humanitarian aid, and creating a comprehensive political process.
The conference organizers did not invite the two main parties to the conflict: the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, to attend the conference.
For its part, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry denounced the holding of the conference “without consultation and coordination with the Sudanese government and its invitation.”
During a recorded speech, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, called for “an end to the nightmare” of the ongoing war, adding that “foreign interference and the flow of weapons” are fueling the conflict in Sudan.
Guterres called on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to “immediately stop hostilities,” and urged the international community to increase the provision of humanitarian aid, noting that it “is still insufficient” compared to what was provided last year.
At the same time, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned of the sharp increase in the use of drones in the Sudanese war, noting that drone attacks are responsible for “three-quarters of civilian deaths” documented by the Commission during the first three months of this year.
Turk added that most of the drones used are not manufactured in Sudan, and that “external powers provide (the parties to the conflict) with advanced weapons systems and financing, while they seek to achieve their own interests.”
For his part, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadewohl confirmed the pledge of participating countries and organizations to provide financial aid exceeding 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to support the Sudanese people, especially in the areas of food, health care and shelter, in light of warnings of famine threatening the lives of millions of civilians.
In the same context, US President Donald Trump’s advisor for African and Arab affairs, Massad Boulos, indicated that the US administration “is working with both parties to the conflict to reach a three-month humanitarian truce, which may lead to a permanent ceasefire.”
The Berlin conference represents an attempt to re-shed light on the Sudanese crisis, which has declined relatively on the scale of international attention due to other crises. However, the success of these efforts remains dependent on the willingness of the Sudanese parties to make concessions, in addition to the presence of a real international will to exert effective pressure.
Sudan is experiencing the largest displacement crisis in the world, after more than 11 million people were forced to flee their homes since the outbreak of war, including nearly 3 million people who crossed the border into neighboring countries.
United Nations reports indicate a rapid spread of cholera, malaria, dengue fever, and German measles, as a result of the collapse of infrastructure, with the cessation of the work of vital health systems, transportation networks, water and sanitation systems, supply lines, and agricultural production.
The United Nations repeatedly calls on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to stop hostilities and agree to a humanitarian truce to create opportunities for dialogue and the entry of humanitarian aid.
It is not possible to accurately verify the numbers of deaths and war victims in Sudan, but estimates by some humanitarian organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (an American non-governmental organization) indicate that the death toll may exceed the barrier of 150,000 people.
- What are the chances of reaching a political solution as the war enters its fourth year?
- Why does the war continue in Sudan despite calls to end the conflict?
- How do you see the role of regional and international powers in the development of the conflict, and did they contribute to calming it or complicating it?
- What are the most prominent challenges facing the Sudanese in light of the continuing war?
- Why were the two sides of the conflict not invited to the Berlin conference?
We will discuss these and other topics with you in the episode on Friday, April 17.
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