Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee was among 32 foreign ministers to cosign a joint statement denouncing possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s nearly three-year war, urging urgent protection for civilians and the unhindered delivery of aid.
The ministerial statement, backed by EU nations, the United Kingdom and Canada among others, calls out “widespread violations” and presses for accountability. “These violations may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity and must be promptly and impartially investigated, with those responsible for international crimes brought to justice,” it said.
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Sudan’s conflict erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, in a struggle for control that has gutted state institutions and torn communities apart. The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced 11 million people and triggered what the United Nations calls one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“Sexual and gender-based violence is rampant, famine is confirmed and severe hunger continues to spread,” the statement added, highlighting the scale of the emergency that has engulfed large parts of the country. It urged all sides to “respect international humanitarian law which includes an obligation to allow and facilitate the rapid, safe and unimpeded access of food, medicine, and other essential supplies to civilians in need.”
The conflict has effectively split Sudan in two. The army holds much of the center, north and east, while the RSF controls most of the west and, with allied groups, parts of the south. Front lines have hardened as mediation falters, complicating access for aid convoys and disrupting already fragile markets and health services.
Humanitarian agencies say conditions are deteriorating amid repeated attacks on civilians, looting and the obstruction of relief operations. The joint statement’s emphasis on humanitarian access echoes repeated UN appeals to the warring parties to allow corridors for food, medical supplies and other essentials. With truce talks deadlocked for months, diplomats have warned that without sustained access, preventable deaths from hunger and disease will continue to rise.
By aligning behind a single message, the 32 signatories sought to increase pressure on the belligerents to halt abuses and comply with international law. While the statement does not outline new sanctions or enforcement measures, it marks a coordinated bid to center civilian protection and accountability as fighting grinds on.
Rights groups and aid organizations have documented patterns of violence against civilians, including sexual violence and attacks in densely populated areas, that they say demand independent scrutiny. The ministers’ call for impartial investigations aims to secure a path to justice for survivors and to deter further atrocities.
For millions of Sudanese now uprooted, the stakes are immediate: safe passage for aid and a cessation of attacks could mean the difference between life and death. The joint statement places responsibility squarely on the warring parties to facilitate relief, cease violations and open the way for a credible political process—conditions that remain elusive nearly three years into the war.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
