Highlights:
· Fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces has continued.
· As of April 30th, the conflict has killed at least 450 people and injured 4,000.
· Goods are becoming scarce in the hardest-hit urban centers, especially Khartoum, and many civilians are struggling to access water, food, fuel, and other critical commodities.
· The Trilateral Mechanism (African Union, Inter-governmental Authority on Development and United Nations) calls on Generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemedti” to agree to another extension of the 72-hour ceasefire and ensure its full implementation.
· The UN Secretary-General has thanked France, the United States, Jordan, Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, and Canada, who have assisted in ensuring the safe transport of United Nations personnel.
· Humanitarian Response Update:
o The UN Secretary-General has dispatched the UN Humanitarian Affairs chief Martin Griffiths to the region immediately.
o The 2023 Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan continues to seek $1.7 Billion to assist 12.5 million people. It is currently only 13.5% funded.
o Before the outbreak of violence, the humanitarian needs were:
ü One third of the population (15.8 million people) needed humanitarian aid.
ü At least 3.7 million people are internally displaced.
ü At least 4 million children and pregnant and lactating women are severely malnourished.
o The World Food Programme (WFP) needs $142.7 million over the next six months to maintain its refugee assistance program and provide life-saving food assistance to crisis-affected communities. Significant funding shortfalls have already forced WFP to cut food assistance in recent months.
· Healthcare and Public Health Update:
o As of April 30th, the World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 26 attacks on healthcare.
o At least 60% of healthcare facilities in Khartoum are no longer operating based on either a lack of medical supplies, insecurity hindering staff from reaching the facilities and/or the increased attacks on healthcare facilities.
o Only 16% of the healthcare facilities in the capital are currently open.
o The main referral hospital in the state is Ag Geneina Teaching Hospital which has been directly affected by the fighting and most of the private clinics and pharmacies are out of service due to the violence.
o Power cuts are threatening to make the limited remaining blood stored in the Central Blood Bank unusable, while the cold chain that keeps vaccines viable has been affected by constant cuts in power and fuel.
o WHO has stocks of essential medicines, blood bags, supplies for surgery and trauma care waiting for delivery once access is safe.
o The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has received eight tons of medical supplies at Port Sudan. These supplies will be used to support hospitals and the Sudan Red Crescent Society.
· Displacement Update:
o More than 75,000 people have reportedly been internally displaced within Sudan between April 15-22, mainly in Khartoum, Northern, Blue Nile, North Kordofan, North Darfur, West Darfur, and South Darfur states.
o At least 20,000 people have the crossed the border into Chad.
o Refugees from other countries who were living in Sudan when the conflict erupted have also been displaced by the fighting. About 33,000 refugees have reportedly fled Khartoum to find safety in the refugee camps in White Nile State, 2,000 to the camps in Gedaref and 5,000 to Kassala since the crisis started unfolding two weeks ago,
· Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Atrocity Crimes Update:
o Reported cases of sexual violence are surging, particularly among displaced people who are on the move, seeking shelter and safety.
o Existing GBV services and supplies have been severely impacted, especially in Khartoum, and Blue Nile and Darfur States.
o Before the conflict, about 76 organizations were providing GBV-related services in Sudan, half of them were local organizations.
o In Ag Geneina, West Dafur there are further reports of killing of civilians, including medical personnel.
Sources:
· Sudan: ICRC’s first international shipment of humanitarian aid arrives in Port Sudan
· Joint Statement by the Trilateral Mechanism on Ceasefire
· Guterres dispatches UN 'relief chief' to Sudan as humanitarian crisis deepens
· Sudan: Clashes between SAF and RSF - Flash Update No. 8 (28 April 2023)
· Thanking France, Other Member States for Transport Assistance, Secretary-General Says Hundreds of United Nations Staff Have Been Safely Evacuated from Sudan
· WFP Sudan Twitter Page
· World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Twitter Page
· UN Migration Agency Sudan Twitter Page
Resources
Conspiracy Theorists Falsely Call Sudan Conflict a Russia-U.S. Proxy War
ACAPS, SUDAN: Update on the humanitarian situation with a focus on the impact on healthcare (April 27th)
Sudan: Physical Access Constraints, 28 April 2023