By Matik Kueth
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace and Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is expected to visit South Sudan and Sudan from February 18th to 24th, according to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
In a statement obtained by King Media on Tuesday, Dujarric stated that the primary objective of the UN peace envoy’s trip is to discuss stronger collaboration with Sudanese government officials in support of peacekeeping efforts in the Darfur and Abyei regions.
“And just to give you a bit more of a dive in the rather depressing humanitarian situation in Sudan, which remains extremely worrying, we are especially deeply concerned about the impact of violence on civilians in and around the Zamzam displacement camp in Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.” Dujarric said.
He noted that the humanitarian situation in Sudan remains “extremely worrying” particularly in North Darfur.
Zamzam Camp is one of the areas in Sudan where famine has been seen following the continual escalation of the conflict between the SAF and RSF.
The UN further expressed concerns about recent crimes committed by opposing factions, particularly near the Zamzam displacement camp in Al Fasher, where around 5,500 people were displaced and sought protection and refuge in the Shamal Jabal Marrah region of Central Darfur.
“Following the escalation of hostilities in Zamzam over the past week, about 5,500 people were displaced and sought safety and shelter in Shamal Jabal Marrah locality in Central Darfur State.” he said.
The Zamzam camp, already recognized as a famine-affected area, has seen the total number of newly displaced people in the Shamal Jabal Marrah region exceed 120,000.
Humanitarian organizations have supplied food to roughly 93,000 newly displaced people and provided emergency housing and other basic needs to approximately 53,000 others.
The war in Sudan, which erupted on April 15th, 2023, continues to take a heavy toll on civilians. The ongoing fighting has forced thousands to flee across borders, with South Sudan, Egypt, and Chad absorbing refugees. This influx of displaced people is creating a critical humanitarian crisis, especially in South Sudan, a nation already struggling with internal conflict and widespread food insecurity.