The unfolding humanitarian crisis in Sudan will come under the spotlight for MEPs when they meet next week,.
On Thursday, MEPs will vote on a resolution concerning the escalation of the war and consequent deepening humanitarian crisis in the country.
This comes after EU foreign ministers, meeting earlier in the week in Brussels, issued a particularly strongly-worded statement on Sudan. It condemned “in the strongest terms” the “grave and ongoing atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan”, including following the seizure of the city of El Fasher.
It said the “deliberate targeting of civilians, ethnically motivated killings, systematic sexual and gender-based violence, starvation as a method of warfare and denying access for humanitarian aid are serious breaches of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. “
Such acts “may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity,” said the statement.
In response to “these crimes” the EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted restrictive measures against Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, the second in command of the RSF.
Sudan plunged into a war in 2023, when a struggle for power broke between its army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Since then, 13 million people have been displaced, over 12 million are at the risk of rape and other forms of gender-based violence, and 25 million are facing extreme hunger, with the UN referring to Sudan as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The Greens/EFA group in the EU parliament said, in a statement, that “several foreign actors have been fuelling the conflict, primarily the UAE, which has been supplying arms to the RSF.”
The statement goes on, “Backed by the UAE, the RSF militias are using extreme violence against civilians, committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The Greens/EFA Group is now calling for the EU to take “immediate action to protect civilians and make perpetrators accountable.”
It says, “Negotiations on the EU-UAE FTA must be frozen and resumed only once the UAE ceases its support and cooperation with the RSF. We urge the EU to ensure the enforcement of the UN arms embargo on Darfur and work towards its extension to the entire country,” reads the statement.
Elsewhere, the Renew Europe group has also demanded action to resolve “Sudan’s forgotten tragedy.”
At Renew’s initiative, the debate in Strasbourg will be held with a vote on a resolution addressing the deadly conflict.
The text condemns “systematic violations by Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces” and demands humanitarian corridors and increased aid.
It calls for International Criminal Court cooperation and European Union sanctions “against military commanders and United Arab Emirates enablers.”
It also urges an “African Union-led inclusive” political process excluding military leadership while supporting civil society and civilian protection mechanisms.
After two and a half years of fratricidal conflict, the situation has reached what Renew calls “unprecedented levels of horror.”
Over 150,000 people have been killed, and millions of civilians have been forced to flee their towns and villages, almost 50.000 in recent days alone, says the group. Survivors report systematic war crimes: summary executions of civilians, widespread rape, looting, kidnappings, and attacks on humanitarian workers, added Hilde Vautmans (Open-VLD, Belgium), Renew spokesperson for foreign affairs.
Meanwhile, Marit Maij, Socialist coordinator of the delegation to the OACPS-EU joint parliamentary assembly, says it too has pushed for next week’s debate “due to the escalation of the war and humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan.”
“We, in the S&D Group, have pushed for a plenary debate and resolution on Sudan next week. We urgently call for an end to violence, including sexual violence, and access for humanitarian aid. Those responsible – directly and indirectly – must be held accountable. The Commission, the High Representative/Vice-President and the international community must act now,” said the Euro deputy.
Earlier, the EU Foreign Affairs Council said the EU aims to engage with “all parties to the conflict” and will step up its support to the dialogue among the Sudanese civilian political groups, in close collaboration with the African Union, IGAD, the Quad members, and other partners.
The ministerial statement said, “The EU reaffirms its commitment to support the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Sudan and to ensure its state institutions are preserved.”
The EU says it rejects the emergence of parallel governing structures and any action that could result in the partition of the country, as well as “any external interference, which heightens tensions and fuels the conflict.”
The primary responsibility for ending the conflict, said the EU Ministers, “rests with the leadership of both the RSF, the SAF and their allied militias, as well as those providing them with direct or indirect support.”
The statement added, “We urge all external actors to take necessary measures to end the sale or supply of arms and related materiel to all parties as per the arms embargo established by the UN Security Council Resolutions 1556 and 1591.”
The EU says it will continue to advocate for expanding the mandate of the ICC and of the arms embargo to the whole country.
The 27-strong block is now urging “all parties to the conflict” to resume negotiations to achieve an “immediate and lasting” ceasefire, in line with the 12 September statement by the Quad.
NB: Photo credit: Mark Rubens
