Political and Humanitarian Developments in Sudan on the Security Council’s Agenda Today

New York – Sudanhorizon
Members of the Security Council are holding closed consultations on Sudan today (Friday), at the request of Denmark and the United Kingdom. The Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, are expected to brief the Council on the security and humanitarian situation in Sudan.
According to the UN Security Council’s website, Pobee will provide an overview of the recent security developments in Sudan. In recent weeks, the Sudanese Armed Forces have achieved significant military gains, reclaiming key strategic positions from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.
The briefing will include a chronological account of the most critical recent military developments, most notably the recapture of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira State, and the lifting of the siege on the Army General Command headquarters in central Khartoum. Additionally, the Sudanese Armed Forces regained control of the Al-Jaili oil refinery in Bahri, Khartoum State.
The briefing highlighted that these operations are part of a broader military offensive by the Sudanese Armed Forces, which began on September 26, 2024. The offensive aims to retake major cities—including Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri—as well as areas east of the Nile and disrupt the RSF’s supply lines.
The report published on the Council’s website anticipated that speakers and several Council members would condemn the ongoing violence across Sudan. They are likely to reiterate calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urge the warring parties to engage in dialogue for a sustainable resolution. Some may also express frustration over the warring parties’ continued disregard for international calls to halt the fighting.
The Security Council website indicated that Martha Pobee would provide an update on recent efforts to end the conflict. It noted that in recent weeks, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, held a series of consultations with a wide range of civilian stakeholders to advance peace efforts. Lamamra visited Port Sudan from December 22 to 24, 2024, where he met with senior Sudanese officials, including General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The update mentioned that on December 25, 2024, Lamamra travelled to Addis Ababa, where he met with a delegation from the RSF. The discussions focused on implementing the recommendations outlined in the Secretary-General’s October 21, 2024 report regarding the protection of civilians in Sudan.
The report stated that some members are expected to seek further information on Lamamra’s recent engagements with the warring parties and to assess potential next steps. They may also emphasise the importance of sustained international engagement in Sudan, including high-level discussions.
It is worth noting that in a press statement issued on January 25, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced plans to convene a meeting of foreign ministers to mobilise international efforts toward ending the conflict in Sudan.
Tom Fletcher is also expected to provide an update on the humanitarian situation in the country in light of the security developments, describing the efforts of the UN and its partners to deliver aid across Sudan. He and several Council members are likely to reiterate the urgent need to ensure full, rapid, and sustained humanitarian access through all means while highlighting the obstacles hindering such access.
Some members may inquire about the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) engagement with Sudanese authorities, particularly regarding their commitments to opening humanitarian access routes and establishing humanitarian centres.
Fletcher and several members may raise concerns about recent attacks on civilian infrastructure and their impact on civilians. A January 22 OCHA press statement reported a series of drone attacks targeting critical infrastructure in northern, eastern, and central Sudan, disrupting essential services. These attacks included strikes on the Um Dabakir power station near Kosti, a power station in the Northern State that cut off electricity and water to Dongola, and the Khor Qubra hydroelectric dam facility in Kassala State, leaving hospitals without power. Additional strikes targeted power generation facilities in Gedaref and Sennar States. Most recently, an attack on the Merowe Dam, Sudan’s largest dam, severely disrupted water and electricity supplies in Khartoum, the Northern State, and the Nile River State.
Council members are currently deliberating on a draft press statement prepared by the United Kingdom, which, among other things, condemns the ongoing and escalating attacks by the RSF on El Fasher and the assault on the Saudi Educational Maternity Hospital in the city.