HAC Highlights Obstacles to Delivering Humanitarian Aid to Darfur

Port Sudan – Sudanhorizon – Suna

The Commissioner-General of the Humanitarian Aid Commission, Salwa Adam Benya, briefed the UN expert team overseeing the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1591, which is currently visiting Port Sudan, on the humanitarian situation in Darfur and other Sudanese cities. She presented documented evidence of atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians.

In a press statement after the meeting, Benya reported that the UN team raised several questions regarding the Adre border crossing. She provided a detailed explanation of the Sudanese government’s position on opening the crossing and reiterated Sudan’s commitment to facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid.

She noted that Sudan has proposed to the UN to establish a joint mechanism involving Sudan, Chad, and the United Nations to streamline procedures and monitor shipments entering Sudan through the Adre border.

Benya also informed the UN team about RSF’s violations and disruptions against humanitarian teams, which were in direct defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2736, which prohibits the siege of El Fasher and obstruction of aid delivery. She emphasized that the Sudanese government allows access to aid to any Sudanese citizen anywhere in the country and has informed the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) of its readiness to open the crossing once safety procedures are addressed.

On Monday, the expert team responsible for implementing Resolution 1591 met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and several military institutions. They also visited the headquarters of the National Humanitarian Aid Commission in Port Sudan, accompanied by members of the National Coordination Office, to follow up on the Darfur-related resolution.

The National Mechanism operates under the High Committee for Coordination with the United Nations, which is chaired by Vice Admiral (ret.) Ibrahim Jaber, a Sovereignty Council member and Assistant Commander-in-Chief.