The Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Jan Egeland, has condemned the international community for neglecting humanitarian the Sudan crisis. He blames the inward-focused policies of the United States and European nations for the waning of global attention.
Sudan Crisis: A crisis of global apathy
In an interview with CNN posted on X, Egeland questioned the global apathy towards the world’s largest crisis. He stated that nations are now prioritizing domestic armaments over their humanitarian ideals.
Egeland, reflecting on his experience noted a greater sense of international solidarity during the 2004 smaller Darfur, Sudan crisis. He then compared to the current situation, which engulfs the entire country.
“I think this time is not a good time for international compassion and international solidarity,” Egeland said.
Recalling his former role as UN Undersecretary-General, he said he brought the four crises of that time to the Security Council. He added that he appeared every three weeks over the 2004 Sudan crisis.
Egeland further explained that President Bush of the United States, Prime Minister Blair of the United Kingdom, the German Chancellor, and the EU Commission were seized with Darfur. He noted this where villages that had too little access for humanitarian relief.
NRC chief calls for greater support to mothers in Sudan
Egeland observed that the situation later improved, securing all necessary aid. He said especially after international figures like George Clooney brought global media attention to Darfur.
Having recently returned from South Kordofan, he lamented the current apathy despite the crisis now being far more extensive.
“We cannot turn their back to a population that consists mostly of women and children. The men are either dead, missing, or fighting,” he urged.
In response to the recent attacks, the European Commissioner for Equality, preparedness and crisis management, Hadja Lahbib has reacted. She called the deadly attack on a health center in Kadugli, Sudan is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
She laments how civilians, including children, reportedly lost their life. She emphasized that the EU will not stay silent in the face of such atrocities against civilians.
In a related development, the World Food Programme (WFP) suspended all activities in Baliet County, South Sudan, after attackers repeatedly targeted and looted aid convoy. The convoy carrying over 1,500 metric tons of food and 100 cubic meters of non-food items.
Meanwhile, Sudanese charities continue to plead with the international community to improve current humanitarian conditions in the war-torn country.
