American Magazine: Nothing New at the Berlin Conference

Washington – Sudanhorizon

The American magazine ‘Politico’, which specialises in national security affairs, published a summary of the Berlin Conference that downplays the significance of its outcomes. It cited the opinion of Cameron Hudson, an American security and political expert specialising in Sudanese affairs, who believes that the conference made no notable tangible progress on a ceasefire or on raising significant new funds for relief efforts.

The magazine indicated on Thursday that Germany hosted the conference, aimed at providing financial support to those affected by the years-long war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It stated that German Foreign Minister Johann Wadefoul announced that donors had pledged $1.53 billion for relief operations in Sudan, surpassing the $1 billion raised at last year’s donor conference in London.

Wadefoul told German radio Deutschlandfunk: ‘We must not forget this major humanitarian crisis in Africa.’

However, Cameron Hudson, who served as Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council under President George W. Bush, explained to the ‘NatSec Daily’ newsletter that ‘the pledged money may not necessarily be new money’, pointing out that the amount announced today is almost identical to the amount pledged at a similar conference held in Washington last February.

The newsletter quoted Hudson as saying: ‘All indications are that this is just wordplay, and that all these pledges are merely a repetition of previous pledges.’ He added that although the conference succeeded in bringing together civil society members to express their concerns about the conflict on an international platform, it made no notable tangible progress toward a ceasefire or toward raising significant new funds for relief efforts.

The magazine reported that the war, which entered its fourth year today, has generated what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. According to the UN, at least 14 million Sudanese have been displaced, and another 34 million – nearly 65% of the country’s population – need urgent humanitarian support. The war with Iran has exacerbated existing famine conditions, disrupted shipping routes, and raised food and fuel prices.

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