The United Nations’ top humanitarian official, Tom Fletcher, met with General Abdelfattah Al-Burhan, leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces, on Tuesday in Port Sudan to negotiate urgent humanitarian access across the country, where war has displaced millions and pushed parts of the population to the brink of famine. Fletcher described the discussions as “constructive conversations” focused on securing guarantees that humanitarian agencies can deliver aid freely, safely, and impartially in all parts of Sudan, including conflict zones. The meeting comes amid an escalating conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has ravaged communities, destroyed infrastructure, and left an estimated 25 million people half the population in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN.
“The humanitarian community stands ready to scale up and deliver life-saving support to tens of millions of Sudanese people with food, medicine, and medical care,” Fletcher said after the talks. Fletcher’s visit is part of a week-long UN mission aimed at bridging the widening gap between diplomatic commitments and the dire realities on the ground. Aid delivery remains severely hindered by bureaucratic barriers, ongoing fighting, and limited cross-line access, especially in Darfur, Khartoum, and Kordofan. The UN and relief organizations warn that without immediate and unrestricted access, famine could spread rapidly in several regions, worsening what is already one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
