Egypt has dispatched its first ground convoy of humanitarian aid to Sudan, as war plunges the country into what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The humanitarian aid to Sudan, provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent, comprises approximately 70 tonnes of food, medical supplies, and shelter materials, the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity announced.
The convoy is expected to travel nearly 2,000 kilometers before reaching its destination, accompanied by humanitarian volunteers.
According to Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsi, the aid is expected to arrive in Sudan on New Year’s Eve.
“This convoy is a message of support from Egypt to the brotherly Sudanese people, who are facing an extremely delicate phase,” she said, adding that this initiative is part of an effort that will continue for as long as the crisis lasts. Cairo notes that it has already shipped three maritime shipments of over 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Sudan since 2023. These announcements come as the security and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate rapidly, particularly in the west of the country.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently stated that he is following the escalating violence in Sudan “with deep concern,” denouncing the “atrocious massacres” and massive human rights violations targeting civilians, especially in the El-Fasher region.
During a meeting in Cairo with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the two leaders stressed the need to increase humanitarian aid and put an end to the crimes committed against the civilian population.
Sudan has been embroiled in a war since April 2023 between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which control swathes of Darfur and areas in the south.
The conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people, according to the United Nations.
In El-Fasher, more than 106,000 civilians have fled the fighting, while 70,000 to 100,000 people are believed to remain trapped in the city, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).
Recent reports allege systematic massacres and destruction of evidence attributed to the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF), notably by the Humanitarian Research Laboratory at Yale University.
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Sudan is currently experiencing the world’s worst displacement crisis, with more than eight million people forced to flee within the country or to neighbouring states, illustrating the scale of a humanitarian catastrophe that continues to worsen despite international appeals.
MK/Sf/fss/as/APA