JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE ALPS GROUP ON PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING THE CRISIS IN SUDAN

The ALPS Group met virtually on September 19 to continue its weekly coordination on expanding emergency humanitarian access across Sudan, including through advocating for humanitarian pauses where critically needed, and protections for civilians, while aiming for a broader cessation of hostilities. 

The ALPS Group took note that the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, as evidenced by recent data from Zamzam camp reflecting catastrophic malnutrition, and drew urgency in its deliberations from this sobering update. 

The ALPS Group welcomes the full opening by the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Kassala and Dongola airports for the UN’s World Food Program’s Humanitarian Air Service to execute humanitarian assistance flights. 

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) should facilitate additional airfield assessments, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) should keep up with its commitment to do so. 

Both the RSF and the SAF should facilitate preparations to allow humanitarian flights into and throughout Sudan by guaranteeing the security of aircraft and staff managing air operations.

The ALPS group also welcomes the news that humanitarian operations are now moving across conflict lines from Port of Sudan through Shendi to Khartoum. 

Partners have seized this opportunity and were already able to reach some of the people in need. 

However, this expansion of humanitarian access, while a positive sign, remains insufficient to meet both the needs of the people and to ensure the efficient delivery of the hundreds of thousands of tons of additional humanitarian assistance being mobilized for the people of Sudan. 

The RSF and SAF must facilitate the unhindered and safe access for surging relief efforts along the Khartoum route, as well as further crossline movements on additional routes, including from Khartoum to El Obeid and to Kosti, as well as from Kassala to Wad Medani and beyond. These steps are all necessary to reach the heartland of the crisis and contain the famine.

Regarding El Fasher and its surrounding areas, the ALPS Group calls on all international actors to press the warring parties to comply with their obligations under international law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and urged the RSF to refrain from any attacks targeting civilians and the SAF to stop its widespread aerial bombardments. 

We call on international partners to join efforts to reach immediate humanitarian pauses to the fighting in El Fasher, as well as in Sennar, Khartoum, and al-Jazira states to allow humanitarian access and corridors for those Sudanese most in need.

The warring parties must ensure civilians can safely leave the areas of fighting. 

We recall that all parties to the conflict have to respect the rules regulating the conduct of hostilities. 

This includes to take all necessary precautionary measures to limit the negative impact on the civilians.

The delegations affirm it is imperative that both parties to the conflict progress discussions on implementing the ALPS Group’s proposed compliance mechanism proposal, which seeks to facilitate implementation and prevent violations of the parties’ commitments made under the Jeddah Declaration. The group affirmed that it will continue to consult with Sudanese women as part of its work.

As the spirit of the ALPS Group is one of alignment, we strive to work together within the ALPS Group and beyond to build greater international cooperation on alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people and bringing an end to the violence.