UN envoy demands IGAD, EAC in the Sudan war

R-L: Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Eng Hillary Onek, Minister for East African Community Affairs, Ms Rebecca Kadaga and Ministers from IGAD Member States hold the Munyonyo Declaration on durable solutions for refugees in the Horn and East Africa region on June 16, 2023. (PHOTO | FRANK BAGUMA)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR)’s Special Envoy for the Hon of Africa has said there is an urgent need for Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and East African Community (EAC) member states to intervene in the Sudan conflict and end what he described as destruction and unimaginable pain in the country.

 Speaking during the end of a four-day IGAD/EAC high-level ministerial conference on durable solutions for refugees at Munyonyo in Kampala last Friday, Mr Mohamed Abdi Affey challenged the ministers to send unequivocal messages to the warring parties involved in the fight to end the war.

“Sudan is a member of IGAD and EAC, there is an urgent need to send a very strong message to those who are fighting in Sudan for the war to end. We cannot talk of durable solutions for refugees when people continue to be displaced.  I am told that some of those who are fighting have occupied hospitals, schools and universities. That is not a place for any armed group to seek sanctuary,”Mr Affey said.

“The war in Sudan should stop and must stop now. The pain and destruction that is happening in Sudan is unimaginable.  As we speak, two months after the conflict started, we have got more than 500,000 people who crossed the Sudan borders coming to the neighbouring countries in search of peace and stability. More than two million have been internally displaced in addition to another three million that had already been displaced. Collectively, five million people have been displaced internally. What will happen in one year, the country will be empty,’’ he added.

The recent violence in Sudan broke out on April 15 between Sudan’s defacto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan who commands the regular army and his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary, Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Records in the Ministry of Relief Disaster Preparedness and Refugees indicate that Uganda is hosting more than 1.5m refugees, the largest refugee population in Africa and the third largest in the world.

South Sudanese make up the largest population at 61 percent (953,630) followed by the Congo at 28.9 (45,2287), Burundi 3.3 percent (51,775), Somalia 3.3 (51,321), Rwanda 1.6 percent (25,578), and others 1.8 percent (29,013).

According to UNHCR, children constitute 62 percent of refugees living in Uganda.

Mr Hillary Onek, the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, said the senseless war of ego should stop.

“We extend our disappointment and displeasure that the senseless war continues to kill and displace innocent people.  We send our strong voice to those involved to stop the war of ego,’’ Mr Onek said.

On the issue of financial support, Mr Onek suggested that all support to refugee interventions should be granted as opposed to loans to save countries that he said are already overstretched by huge debt burdens.

At the end of the conference, IGAD/EAC member states signed a ministerial declaration on durable solutions for refugees in the region.