Official Statement from the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commissioner
Friday, 14 February 2025
On the morning of February 14, 2025, on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, a meeting was convened, organized, and funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Regrettably, this meeting, which purported to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, was attended by international representatives, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the outgoing Chairperson of the African Union, Moussa Faki, alongside representatives from neighboring states. This development necessitates the following clarifications: The unprecedented humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Sudan is a direct consequence of the conflict perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. This militia has engaged in indiscriminate attacks on hospitals and schools, forced displacement of civilians, systematic sexual violence, including rape, and the looting of humanitarian aid warehouses, including those of the World Food Programme (WFP). The United Arab Emirates bears direct responsibility for exacerbating this crisis through its continuous financial and military support to the RSF militia, rendering it a direct party to the conflict in Sudan. The attempt to utilize humanitarian assistance and the ongoing suffering of the Sudanese people to rehabilitate the UAE’s image and obscure its role in these violations constitutes complicity in the perpetuation of these crimes. This undermines international law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2736, which calls for the lifting of the siege on El Fasher and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need. It is deeply regrettable that the RSF militia has failed to comply with this resolution and continues to commit grave violations in the Zamzam camp. The Secretary-General of the United Nations should have prioritized the enforcement of these resolutions to ensure the cessation of hostilities in Sudan and uphold the legitimacy of the United Nations, particularly in relation to the arms embargo on Darfur. The participation in this event contributes to the normalization of the crime of aggression committed by the UAE against the Sudanese people. The participation of the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, and the outgoing Chairperson of the African Union, Moussa Faki, in this event, and their involvement in efforts to portray the UAE as a humanitarian actor while disregarding its role as a party to the conflict in Sudan, is deeply concerning. Such actions risk emboldening the UAE to continue its support for the RSF militia and further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, even as it engages in initiatives aimed at obscuring its responsibility for the suffering of the Sudanese people. Furthermore, the politicization of humanitarian efforts and the use of aid to advance political agendas, as evidenced by the participation of certain Sudanese political figures aligned with the RSF militia and the UAE, alongside organizations expected to maintain neutrality and impartiality, complicates the humanitarian response. It transforms humanitarian assistance into a tool for political leverage, undermining the principles of humanitarian action. We deeply regret the participation of the Secretary-General of the largest international organization in this conference. The implications of this event compel us to adopt new approaches that safeguard our national sovereignty and independent decision-making. The people of Sudan will not accept subjugation to the agenda of a new occupation or the recklessness of the UAE in exchange for humanitarian aid. The fundamental principles of humanitarian action—neutrality, impartiality, integrity, and independence—will remain the sole compass guiding our engagement with any relief efforts in Sudan. **Salwa Adam Binayya** **Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid** **Republic of Sudan ** **February 14,2025**