Speaking directly from Sudan on Monday, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that millions of lives are at risk unless the world acts fast.
“We are not a ship meant to stay in the harbour,” he told reporters in New York via video. “We need many more UN staff on the ground, right beside the people we serve.”
Darfur Described as “Horror Show”
After visiting the war-torn region, Fletcher called Darfur a “horror show” and the city of El Fasher a “crime scene”. He heard direct survivor testimonies of recent mass violence.
He travelled with the heads of IOM and World Food Programme as part of a six-week push to put more senior UN leaders inside Sudan.
Two Out of Three Sudanese Need Aid
- Nearly 66% of Sudan’s population now depends on humanitarian help to survive
- The 2025 UN appeal is only 32% funded
- Aid agencies are making “brutal life-or-death choices” every day
Small Gains, Big Challenges
Fletcher said the UN has won limited access to El Fasher on neutral terms. He personally urged RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”) to allow safe passage for convoys and to stop attacks on civilians.
He welcomed growing pressure from Washington and other capitals, saying a diplomatic opening may be appearing.
Still, his main message was clear: the current level of violence and suffering in Sudan is “is completely unacceptable.”
Without a rapid scale-up of aid workers and funding, millions more people will lose their lives.
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