As the world commemorates World Humanitarian Day on August 19, the toll of humanitarian workers killed in 2023 remains alarmingly high. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 280 humanitarian workers lost their lives in 33 countries this year, marking 2023 as “the deadliest year on record for the global humanitarian community.”
In Africa, “extreme levels of violence in Sudan and South Sudan have significantly contributed to this tragic toll in both 2023 and potentially in 2024,” the UN agency stated. As of August 7, 2024, preliminary data report that 172 aid workers have been killed.
The ongoing civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has been driven by a power struggle between General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese military junta, and General Mohamed Hamdane Dagalo, commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
OCHA emphasized that such crises do not justify attacks on humanitarian workers, who are facing increasing threats in other regions, particularly in Gaza. This Palestinian enclave has endured continuous bombardment by the Israeli army since October 7, 2023, following an attack attributed to Hamas.
“More than half of the deaths recorded in 2023 occurred during the first three months of hostilities in Gaza, from October to December, largely due to airstrikes. Since October, over 280 humanitarian workers, the majority from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), have been killed in Gaza alone,” the agency pointed out.
In response to these tragic events, solidarity events have been held worldwide to raise awareness about the severe impact of armed conflict on humanitarian efforts. A joint letter from the heads of humanitarian organizations will be sent to member states of the United Nations General Assembly, urging the international community to end attacks on civilians, protect humanitarian workers, and hold those responsible for such violence accountable.
“The normalization of violence against humanitarian workers and the absence of accountability are unacceptable, unconscionable, and extremely detrimental to humanitarian operations globally,” stated Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, calling for an end to violations against civilians and impunity.
ODL/ac/sf/lb/abj/APA