Welcome to the press briefing of the UN in Geneva.
Today is Tuesday, 15th of April, a dire anniversary for a terrible conflict that, as you know, has been raging in Sudan for the past two years.
We've already spoken a lot about this anniversary at the last press briefing, but it's important to underline again the terrible situation in which this conflict is put, especially the civilians of Sudan.
Last night we have sent you the statement of the Secretary General on the 2nd anniversary of the Sudanese conflict, and I will just read some excerpt of it before going to our guests that are also going to talk to us about the situation in Sudan.
So the Secretary General noting that this two years, we are in two years into this devastating war, he says this now remains in a crisis of staggering proportions with civilians paying the highest price.
He describes the situation that continue to unfold in the country for for the civilians, for the humanitarian workers, basic services, education for children.
And he says and and also recalling that the United Nations and its partner have reached more than 15.6 million people in the past year.
But the needs remain overwhelming since the Secretary General, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the parties disregard for human life, in addition to their obligations under the international humanitarian and international human rights law.
So the Secretary General.
The warring parties have made commitments to protect civilians, including in the Jeddah Declaration of May 2023.
Such commitments as the Secretary General must be translated into concrete action.
Independent, impartial and transparent investigation into all reports of violation and abuses are also crucial.
The Secretary General says the only way to ensure the protection of civilians is to end this senseless conflict.
He says that comprehensive, revitalised and well coordinated political efforts are urgently needed to prevent Sudan's further fragmentation.
As an international community, we must find ways to help the Sudanese people bring this unspeakable catastrophe to an end and establish acceptable transitional arrangements.
He concludes by saying that Sudan remains the highest priority for the United Nations and he will continue to engage with regional leaders on means to enhance our collective efforts for peace.
And this will complement the ongoing work of his personal Envoy, Ramtan Namura, who will seek to ensure international mediation efforts are mutually reinforcing.
And he will also continue to explore with the parties ways to bring them closer to a peaceful solution and support and empower civilians as they work towards a common vision for Sudan's future.
We must renew our focus on funding an end to this brutal war, concludes the Secretary General.
The world must not forget the people of Sudan and that is why today we are going to speak about it with a few of our colleagues from the agencies.
And I would like to start with Sarah Bell, who has brought us Luca Renda with the ENDP Resident Representative in Sudan, Lucas connecting from Port Sudan to tell us about the need to restore social services and livelihood support for millions of people that would be followed by you and women.
Sophia has brought us Anna Mutavati was the regional director of you and women and Salvatore Guru Sisa, country representatives.
They're both speaking from Port Sudan.
Sophia, just come back from a mission that and IOM Muhammad Ali, who's on my left is here with Muhammad Rifat, the IOM Sudan chief of mission from Port Sudan to as usual, we will hear from our colleagues and then I will open the floor to questions.
So, Sarah, you start Mercy Bukua, Alessandra.
But if I pursue the skilla, the skilla view, the skilla VQ.
Luca, do you want to go ahead?
Thank you very much, Saran colleagues, just checking that you hear me well.
Good morning from Port Sudan.
I am glad to be with you today and also to see some of the colleagues of other UN agencies, important UN agencies that are operating in Sudan at the moment.
And speaking from Port Sudan and as Sarah mentioned, I, I just returned from a two day mission to the Khartoum area.
It was the first time actually that we were able to return there after the since the beginning of, of the war.
And I was able to to speak with local partners, some of the local NGOs that we are working with, as well as the authorities of the state of Khartoum that continue, have continued to be there and operate in difficult circumstances.
And that need to be, of course, our partner.
Now you, you know, today is a two year anniversary, let's say of, of the beginning of the world, a very grim anniversary.
And you've heard the words of the secretary general and other agencies in terms of the dire situation faced by the Sudanese people.
This is the, the largest displacement crisis in the world, the worst humanitarian crisis in the world by all accounts.
It is also not only has taken a tremendous toll on on the people, but also on the economy of the country.
We estimate that the GDP of Sudan has dropped by 40%.
We are now facing a triple digit inflation with the the price of the goods that have skyrocketed and have created difficulties for people to access excess essential goods and including food.
We have a severe disruption of infrastructure and services in some areas of of Sudan.
Less than 1/4 of the health facilities are working, for example, and access to water remain very complicated.
The recent events also have underlined how difficult it is for humanitarian and and workers to operate in Sudan, particularly when when the war is still raging.
But I want to offer a different angle maybe today and maybe offer a glimmer of of hope in terms of the fact that the situation in Sudan is changing and is evolving quite rapidly, particularly after the army has been able to recapture certain areas of the country, including the state of Jazeera and the capital Khartoum.
You know that, and I'm sure my colleague from IOM will will speak about that.
About 1/3 of the ID PS in Sudan, internally displaced people actually came from Khartoum and they fled the war when when it started.
So they have been in a situation of displacement for now two years.
However, there is a eagerness in the population to return and this we can see in every community we speak there, there is this desire for Sudanese people to return to their homes and rebuild their lives.
So we are going to face a challenge, but it's also I think an opportunity in supporting the return of what we estimate could be about 3 million people maybe to the to the capital and maybe even 4 million in in, in other, you know 3 to 4 million considering other region that the population now consider to be safe.
We know from data from IOM, I'm sure they will speak about that, that already many, many people have returned about 400,000 and some people have already crossed back from Egypt into Sudan to return to their homes.
So we are, this is, as I said, is a, is a challenge, but it's also, I think an opportunity to, to help these people to no longer face the vulnerabilities of a displaced situation, but go back and rebuild their life.
But the situation in in in this in Khartoum is extremely dire in, in especially in the areas where the conflict has been intense.
So there is massive destruction of infrastructure, no access to water, currently no electricity and of course a lot of contamination of the unexploded ordinance.
So in sequence, the kind of intervention we need to undertake our first support the clearing of unexploded ordinance this our colleagues from the UN Mine Action Services are working closely with the Army to clear in the areas and large parts of Ondurman have been cleared already and clearing is ongoing now in in Khartoum city.
After that, we need to 1st support income generation activities for people that are staying, have stayed and people that are coming back.
This for example through cash for work intervention that can help also clear debris or other waste that are dangerous because of possible contamination and accident that can occur and then work very intensely with local partner to restore water services.
This can be done, for example, through solarization of water pumps and boreholes, as well as restoring essential healthcare.
We also need to support the restoration of economic activities through small loans and small grants for people to reopen shops, bakeries and other small activities so the life can slowly rezone.
And particular attention has to be given to women who have carried the brunt of the suffering during the war.
And I'm sure my colleagues from New Women will speak about that.
As I said, we will as UN work in a coordinated fashion to make sure that if as we expect are witnessing the return of people, a massive return of people, these are safe return, voluntary return and dignified returns as according to international standards.
And we will be taking question if there's any.
Gratia, Luca, I go now to, I understand Sophia is online, so I will go to her and to you and women, I think we have two speakers from Port Sudan, Anna and Salvador.
They speak one after the other.
So maybe I'll start with Anna, unless Sophia, you want to say something at the beginning.
Thank you, Alessandra, and good morning from Port Sudan.
So yes, I'm here with a very strong team on the ground, Anna and Salvatore, but of course, most importantly with all the women and girls that are really at the centre of this conflict.
And let me now hand over to a regional director, Anna, to tell you a little bit about what we have seen and what we have heard interacting with those women over the past days.
So I join you from Port Sudan.
It's the country marks two years since this conflict started.
I'm here with my colleagues to express solidarity to the brave and resilient women of this country.
We have borne the branch of this conflict and who have managed to keep the families together with very little support on the ground.
Just a few days ago, 400 civilians lost their lives in the attack in Darfur.
We condemn in the strongest terms this unwarranted attack on civilians, which goes against international human rights law.
We also saw that humanitarian aid workers lost their lives in this attack a few days ago.
And we also saw, we also know that thousands of civilians are trapped in the Darfur region with very little access or no access at all to critical humanitarian life saving services that they need, including access to water, access to food and access to healthcare.
We call therefore for an urgent humanitarian access and protection of humanitarian aid workers who are providing critical life saving support to civilians in the Darfur region.
Let me talk about the toll on the lives of women and and and children that this war has had.
We've seen a 288% increase in demand for life saving support following **** and sexual violence.
We've also seen what is beginning to look like systematic use of **** and sexual violence as a weapon of war.
We have seen women's lives and women's bodies being turned into battlegrounds in this conflict.
Yet these numbers don't capture the pain and the fear that I heard in the stories of survivors who are gathering in the temporary gathering sites where they fled to safety.
Every woman who fled her home talks about how they left with nothing except the clothes on their backs.
So they don't have any form of livelihoods in the areas where they've settled for temporarily for shelter.
And they are also talking about how they have no access to food, how they have no access to clean water and how woefully inadequate they are services for health in the areas where they are being held and with no means of making an income, you can imagine how life it is for them.
They showed us their their children who are playing around in the holding centres with no prospects of them attending school and so we have a whole generation here whose lives are being affected because they are not able to go to school.
I would also like to talk about how they are demanding for return of peace to their country.
They want their country back.
They are tired of conflict after conflict breaking out in their beautiful country.
They want sustainable peace so that it's not guns ringing every two months or every two years.
They want a place on that table where peace are peace.
Peace discussions are going on.
And yet we are also systematically seeing how they are being excluded from all those discussions.
Even though they are bearing the branch of this humanitarian crisis, we are also seeing them.
They are demand that there should be justice for the violations that they've endured.
They're demanding that perpetrators of the violence that they've endured be brought to justice.
And they're demanding that the international community does not forget Sudan and Sudanese women and girls.
They're demanding that we keep talking about it and shining the spotlight on the abuses that they've experienced in that we all work together to keep all efforts going until we have sustainable peace in Sudan.
Let me hand over to our country Representative Salvato, who is going to talk about what we are doing on the conflict in this country.
All the work that you and the women does in Sudan is with, for and through women's organisations.
They are at the forefront of our response to gender based violence, access to humanitarian services and building the livelihoods for women's economic empowerment.
UN Women is and the will remain here, staying and delivering, standing with these organisations, giving them a voice in humanitarian assistance, demanding lasting peace and championing a leading.
Role for women and girls in shaping the future of this country.
Empowering local women's organisations is a facial to everything UN Women does in Sudan.
In our humanitarian action.
These organisations help identifying urgent needs in displacement camps, support survivors of gender based violence and they provide circle circle sole psychosocial care in the levels training.
They work within their own communities to support those who need it most, including women with disabilities, pregnant women and the women LED household.
They are resilient, continuing their work in mobilising communities to stop this war despite an imaginable challenges.
These women LED organisation urgently need longer term support well beyond short term emergencies funding.
Yet they receive under 2% of humanitarian assistance in Sudan.
Support supporting women's school.
Supporting women in Sudan must be at the heart of the humanitarian response.
When women, the LED, when women are voices are heard, humanitarian needs are met.
When they are included in assessments, in decision making, we multiply the impact of our collective efforts.
Abandoned now the women of Sudan.
If there's any questions, I'm here to address them.
Thank you very much, Salvatore.
And let's go now to the colleague of IOMI.
Think you, Mohammed Ali will start and then we will go to Mr Rifat.
So from IOM we today marks a grim anniversary that most of the world knows little or nothing about.
And seems to care even less.
Today we mark 2 years of a devastating war that has forced more than 12 million from their homes, 8.6 million inside the country and almost 4 million across the border.
It is the world's largest displacement crisis, and the scale of the humanitarian needs is vast.
Words to describe just how bad the situation is.
Famine has a spread to several locations and at least half of the population, which is over 25 million people, don't have enough to eat.
Shocking systematic ***** against civilians are ongoing, with women and children at most risk.
The appalling attacks on displacement camps last week, killing civilians and aid workers, is just the latest atrocity among that violates the international humanitarian law.
No one knows exactly how many people have been killed over the past two years, because no one has been counting.
In fact, few people know, a few people even know where is in the world, this terrible world.
This must change immediately.
We need to put Sudan family in the international spotlight.
We need to ensure the world sets up and pays attention to what's happening there and that it takes urgent action.
This is vital not just for the sake of a humanity but also to avert the greater risk of instability in the region and beyond.
Those affected by the conflict, whether displaced or trapped, they gently need life saving food, water, healthcare and other essentials this includes.
Those who have fled to neighbouring countries, especially to Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
Despite ongoing insecurities, many people are attempting to retain to their homes, including in Khartoum, only to find everything destroyed.
They too urgently need help to rebuild their lives and communities.
IOM has been providing life saving relief including shelter, water, sanitation, healthcare to million of people to millions of of people in Sudan and neighbouring countries since the conflict began.
We are providing a range of protection services through our displacement tracking metrics.
We are providing critical data that is informing sector wide response plan.
We are among the first humanitarian organisations to be back on the ground in Khartoum.
However, as of today, our current appeal is only 10% funded.
We are calling on donors to increase their support to help save lives and.
Help rebuild the lives of people and livelihoods in the long term, Of course, only a political solution can bring lasting peace.
Which is what the people of Sudan need more than anything else.
But in the meantime, the global community cannot afford to simply ignore this crisis.
Mohammed Ali Fad from Port Sudan.
I think enough has been said from my colleagues, maybe just few points to emphasise what we have all here.
Let me start from my colleague Salvatore and what he mentioned about the women and the need for women in Sudan.
I just came from Khartoum and I managed to meet the group of women in a public space where we, I as a foreigner man, I came and I sit with them and they were talking openly about the violence, the sexual violence they have seen they have been exposed to, including being sexually harassed in front of their injured husbands, in front of their screaming children, by actors of the war.
It is the first time in my life after being in six prices, 6 civil wars to see women have been accused to that extent that it's not a secret anymore.
It's not something that they can hide anymore.
It's something that they speak about it every day.
This is a level of damage and that accused the women of Sudan have seen for the last period.
So I echo everything that has been said from my colleague and UN Women.
We are all seeing what's happening in Al Fasher now.
The violation of international human, military and law has been, since the beginning of the war, used as a tool to force displacement.
And it is the time for all actors, for all states to put pressure on those actors to stop the violation.
The level of the scale of the displacement in Sudan have reached scale that we have not seen before because it has been used as a tool in this war and we need to protect civil dev.
My Third Point is that what my colleague Luca mentioned about his visit in Khartoum, it's very true.
We are seeing people returning, we are seeing hope coming and we are seeing that there should be support for recovering basic services and we should all work together on this.
And it's absolutely one of the key priorities for now.
But as we see people are returning.
The war is far from stopping what we are seeing now happening in a fasher.
We are seeing numbers of thousands of people are being displaced to Toweela, to Wadihalfa, and we are even seeing the second movement of Darfurians to Egypt through smuggling.
So the numbers, as we see numbers are coming from bordering neighbouring countries.
We see also people are still fleeing the borders.
So we should not saying that the war or the displacement, the Sudan is going to be resolved.
The conflict has to stop and we need to put all effort for this conflict to stop.
Today, we will release our Khartoum response plan.
We'll be asking for almost 29 million to support almost half a million of those returnees or stayed in Khartoum State.
And we call on all actors to support Ayansh.
And as we talk, the electricity cup, this is a normal life in Sudan.
Thank you so much, Mohammed.
Yes, and I imagine it wasn't busy every day, but thanks for for everybody who has spoken about this.
I've already distributed the notes of you and women.
If the others could do the same with the other speakers.
I'll open now the floor to question.
First of all, in the room and I see Jeremy launch for Radio France International.
A general question to anyone who is able to, to respond, but I'd like to to have a maybe some insights on, on, on what's going on in Al Fasha right now and in the Zamzam camp.
The FSR now seems to be in control of the camp.
So I'd like to know is there any humanitarian presence in the camp right now?
Do you have any idea what's going on in in in Zamzam or is it completely left to to the FSR?
Mrs Jeremy OK, so it's a little bit difficult for me to see everybody in the field.
So if any of the colleagues want to speak from the field, please can you just show your hand or, or, or your electronic hand as as well.
So I don't know if Luca or the Sufi and her colleagues or Muhammad want to take this one.
I see Luca and Muhammad and Luca Muhammad, let's start with you.
Yes, we are seeing massive displacement mainly also for Mail.
They are all fleeing the Samsung camp and the other camps are being targeted trying to go to Al fascia because Mail have been the main target.
As you are aware, Relief International lost 10 of their medical teams working there which has LED also to all actors to try to flee the scene.
We are supporting other NGOs and NGOs to deliver non food items there and to the neighbouring areas where Itps have been fleeing.
But the access has been very very very challenging.
According to our DTM, we are estimating that more than 80,000 has already fleed the camp and the numbers are really getting increasing every day.
So we expect that the numbers might reach up to 400,000 displacement from this location alone.
The numbers need them to be confirmed.
So maybe after this briefing, we can send it on latest update on the numbers As we keep trying to grab the numbers from every localities because we are seeing displacement in different directions including those who are trying to flee to a Wheeler and that what the health as I mentioned and the trip is very exhausting for everyone I give my colleague.
No, actually I have nothing to add to what Mohammed said.
He summarised the situation well.
But I see that Jeremy has a follow up.
Just to follow up on the numbers to make sure I got this thing right.
You mentioned 80 people, SO80 fled the the already.
This is what you said 18, not 18,000.
1000 Yes, thousand Mohammed.
Yes, 80,000 and I can send you the latest update from our DTM reports after the scope.
SO80 thousand and something probably that would be of interest for every journalist.
So if maybe Kennedy you can you can help with that.
So let me go to another question in the room, Olivia Potva, Reuters.
I have a have a few for all all different members of the panel.
Thank you for this briefing.
Just a broad question for all panellists.
Britain today is Co hosting the London conference on Sudan trying to improve the coherence of the international response.
Curious to know what you all would like from that?
What needs to be improved in terms of coordinating the international response to the Sudan crisis?
In terms of UNDP, you were saying there about 3 million people could return to Khartoum.
I was just wondering what the time scale is for, for that.
And also in terms of the unexploded ordinance, just any idea of the scale would be really helpful.
Any any facts you have for UN women?
If I may, if I could also kind of get some a sense of numbers.
I mean, shocking what you said there.
Just an idea of how many women have been subject to **** and sexual violence.
And maybe after the briefing, if you could just send details on the 200 and eight 288% increase, if we could just have the numbers and from where that was from to to what that is now.
Sorry, I do have a few, but IOM, thank you very much.
You were mentioning there, I think it was Muhammad about the movement of Darfurians to Egypt through smuggling.
Just any more details on that would be helpful or figures that is everything I think for me for now.
Thank you very much, Olivia.
Thanks for all these questions on the London Conference.
As the spokesperson of the Secretary General said yesterday, what we want to see is really a renewed impetus by the international community to galvanise international action and strengthen our unity of purpose and to keep the suffering dreams and goals of the Sudanese people first and foremost.
And I'm sure my colleague will have more.
So we'll start with, unless the colleagues from the podium want no, I'll go to the field.
So maybe I'll start with Luca and maybe each of you can answer its own question.
Plus on the conference in London.
Thank you very much for the question, Olivia.
I mean, from from our perspective here, we've been working in Sudan, any, any effort that is being undertaken, be it by Member States of of individual countries or a group of countries as well as a regional organisation.
And every further in particular to the African Union as well as EGAD is of course is seen with hope that this can bring a more coordinated, more coherent, you know, approach of the international community in addressing the war in Sudan.
We are, of course, looking at the effort made undertaken by the personal envoy of the Secretary General, Mr Tanganamra, who we remain in contact with on a regular basis to make sure that there is sufficient level of, of coordination.
So we, we are, you know, we are here looking at supporting the Sudanese people.
And, and I can just echo what my colleagues have said, Sudanese people are just absolutely tired of this war.
They want peace, they want to resume their lives, they want to go back home.
They want to rebuild their existences in a, in a, in a, in a, in the way that is, you know, peaceful.
And, and looking at the peaceful coexistence among the Sudanese people in terms of the contamination, I don't have figures, exact figures.
I can, you know, perhaps my colleagues at the UN Mine Action Service would be able to provide more.
But what I can say is that the actual decontamination is undertaken by the National Mine Action Authority of Sudan, but there is close coordination with the UN colleagues of the Mine Action Service.
And this has already started and basically almost been completed in Omdurman.
I was able to go into certain areas of Omdurman which have been severely impacted by the the the conflict, including some health facilities that are completely destroyed.
But in AI was able to go there in a safe manner.
Cleaning up is ongoing right now in the Khartoum proper.
For example, our facilities, the former office are also among the areas that have been cleared and we were told that within three days that the clearing will be completed when we understook our cash for work activities in on Durman to clean up from debris.
This work was undertaken in close coordination with the Mine Action Authority, with the police to make sure that all the areas where the workers, which are, you know, people being hired locally, we hired about 2000 people to do that.
They were operating in a safe environment with all the areas being cleared, but always, always nearby.
There was a, an ambulance and a police car etcetera to ensure that if anything, any accident happened, it would have been immediately addressed.
But fortunately no accident happened.
It means that the killing was done, was done properly.
This is of course in Khartoum property.
It's going to take some time.
So in terms of timeline, I understand the, there has been the, the, the governor of Khartoum has actually asked people to delay a bit their return for at least 3-4 weeks in order for the cleaning to be completed.
And, but I can tell you that as soon as the, the, the people feel the areas are safe, they will look at, at going back.
So we estimate the returns to happen within the next six months.
And as I, as I say it, it could be a massive flow of, of, of people returning into Khartoum as well As for example, Jazeera Wad Madani, which is, has been also an area of origin for I think about 8% of the total IDP population.
Thank you very much, Luca, on the issue of women, I don't know, Sophia, who would like to take this one in in the room.
Thank you very much for the question.
So in terms of the London conference, I think the key message there is that we would like to reiterate that women are more than just victims of this conflict.
The women of Sudan have played a critical role historically in shaping the political history of their country.
And we've seen how they are holding families and communities together.
We've seen how they're bearing the branch of this humanitarian crisis.
And so this is not the time to exclude their voices from everything, from all the conversations that are taking place right now about Sudan.
This is not the time for women to be scrambling with their demands, with their views and perspectives, with no one who is listening.
This is the time to bring women to the table and ensure that they participate in shaping the end to this conflict and in sustaining peace.
So this is the key message that we are hearing from the women of Sudan, both here on the ground in Port Sudan and other parts of the country, but also from those that have fled the conflict.
And they're working in different countries around the world, including in Africa and and beyond.
Their message is consistently clear.
We are not just victims of this war.
We demand a place to be heard.
Anybody who is convening a dialogue on Sudan needs to bring the women to the table so we hear also what they have to say about the future that they want and how to get them.
If I may just remind us all that this year marks the 20 the the 25th anniversary of the UN Security Council resolution on 1325, which recognises the role that women play in peace building, in conflict prevention, in rebuilding of societies.
And we are in 2025 and we cannot still behaving women systematically being left out of conversations about their own country.
And they've, and they've told us very clearly that they are tired of running.
They are tired of conflicts breaking out every two years or every year.
They want sustain, They want sustainable peace.
They want the guns to stop now and not to return.
They want a, a future for their children.
Their children have a right to dream and become their what their dreams are.
So they are not getting that in this current climate where there is conflict after conflict after conflict.
So they're saying if we are to rebuild our country, we need to be on the table.
So I think that's the clear message that they would also like for us to communicate to the world right now into the London conference, into any other convening that will be happening on Sudan.
Secondly, on the issue of numbers, I did mention that in the past 12 months alone, we have seen an increase of 288% in demand for services following sexual and gender based violence, following ****, following different forms of sexual violence that they've had to endure.
But let me remind our our audience today in the in the different viewers that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
We know that's not everybody's coming forward to report because there is shame, there is written blaming and there's stigma that is attached to every woman who has been raped or gang raped in the manner that most women are telling us about now.
And so sometimes to preserve themselves, they keep quiet.
So we know that there's lots more out there that is not reported.
So I think the key message that we are saying is behind every figure that we are talking about, behind every increase that we are talking about are real people.
They are real lives that have been shattered.
They are real dreams that have been destroyed.
They are real women that are carrying the shame instead of that shame being with the perpetrators.
So we continue, let us not silence, be silent around this issue is the perpetrators would want us to be.
Let us bring it to the fore and talk about it.
And they let them carry the shame and not leave it on the women and their families.
So I think is is the place today help us to ensure that we keep shining the spotlight on this shameful violation of rights, on this shameful violation of women that the women have had to enjoy for far too long.
Thank you very much and a terrible, terrible numbers.
I think you're wrong, Muhammad.
There's a problem with the audio.
Muhammad, can you hear us?
I think there's a problem with the.
Let me start with the numbers.
Our estimate in IOM that over the next six months we will have 2.1 million returning to the Khartoum capital.
And this is based on the numbers we understand that they have left the the capital when the war started.
So we estimate that 31% of those ID, PS in Sudan after the war are actually coming from Khartoum and that 50% of them almost will be returning back to Khartoum.
Of course linked to the security situation and linked to the availability of services on the ground.
But we are also seeing the movement from Egypt.
So over the last 12-13 days, we have seen almost 33,000 returning from Egypt to Sudan and those mainly returning to Al Jazeera and to Sinnar, very few of them are actually returning to Khartoum.
When it comes to movement to from therefore to other countries, we are seeing the initial movement going to Al Daba.
And Al Daba is a cross point where smuggling and movement can move either to Libya or move either to Egypt.
And what we are seeing now, because it's easier to track movement across to Egypt that the numbers are actually the movement of Darfurians to Egypt is starting or we can see evidence there.
We don't have numbers, but we start the monitoring flow there.
I'm sure this will also reflect in Libya and Chad because we need always to understand that whatever happened in Sudan will have additional impact.
And this is what we are reporting today that we see signs of regional impact of what's happening in that fashion.
And it's not going to stop on the interference when it comes to return movement in general for ID.
PS What we are planning that by the end of the month, we will have an update on the return numbers.
But also we have a team now which is based on Khartoum that will be releasing like a weekly update about the returns to the capital.
So we can inform all our partners on the ground about the dynamics on the ground and the need there on the de mining and remnant there as my colleague Luca mentioned.
So also our office in in Khartoum has been certified by the authorities there that's being de mined and ready to use.
So we see that some spots in the Khartoum itself has been cleaned, but the process I'm sure will take longer.
One thing that we need to remember there that the electricity system in the whole Khartoum has been destroyed.
So returning back to Khartoum is always being linked to availability of electricity and basic services, mainly water and electricity at this stage.
Is there any other question from the room?
I'll go to the platform, otherwise no.
So I had seen Chris hence, but he's not there anymore.
So I'll go to Yuria Prelev, the university.
Yes, thank you for giving me the floor.
I have a question relative to the finance and to the help that you are receiving from countries, because as far as I understand, every time I'm seeing a statement about Sudan, it is from IOM or for UNHCR or anyone.
Everybody's saying that there is a lack of financing for this crisis.
At the same time, for example, I was now on the website of the Kiel Institute that is monitoring the help to Ukraine.
For example, Ukraine received only from the governments of the European Union and from the United States $260 billion of help in three years.
How do you explain the fact that the gap between the financing of the crisis in Sudan and in Ukraine, for example, is that much that we are talking about 260 billions from one side and the lack of financing for a crisis that you are yourself coding the worst in the humanitarian point of view and the displacement crisis from the same countries.
When you are talking with donors, what are what are they saying?
Why when you are asking the questions why they don't have money for this crisis, what they're answering?
Thank you, Yuri, Who would like to take this one, Somebody in the field, Luca Mohammed or here on the podium?
Look, I I can, I can start.
I'm sure my colleagues can add.
So what we do here is of course we focus on, on the needs, right?
So we, we prepare response plans, we quantify the, the people in need, we prioritise.
Recently there has been an exercise in in actually re prioritising the humanitarian response plan primarily due to the to the reduction or expected reduction in funding from from the US.
Which means that some of the areas that or some of the areas that are in need might not be receiving that kind of support.
But so the, the UN community and the partners are, are, are trying to go to the most extreme vulnerabilities.
The current scenarios in terms of funding, of course remain uncertain.
And the what we are actually advocating as, as UNDP is that countries should also free up some of the funds that are used for recovery or resilience and what we normally say development, because two years into the war, the humanitarian needs remain ****, but in many parts of the country it is now possible to actually invest in recovery.
So that's why we, we are looking at not only the international financial institutions such as the World Bank or the African Development Bank, who are already investing and providing vital resources for recovery.
But at the same time also other donors from the both the the Western donors as well as other donors like the Gulf countries or etcetera, to start looking at investing in rehabilitation of infrastructure, essential services, economic reactivation, support the returns.
Because that is what most Sudanese people I speak with, they want.
It's to be able to be self reliant, to be able to stand on their feet, to not be dependent on humanitarian aid.
So I think we need a combination here of continued humanitarian support as well as increased funding for elder recovery and, and, and the reconstructions in the areas where this is possible.
And we talked about, of course, Khartoum, but also Jazeera, all the areas that have been severely, severely affected by by the war.
And now we need to see how we can support people to go back and rebuild their lives and no longer be in need of humanitarian aid.
Asiana has raised her hand.
Thank you very much for that question.
And I'll just like to also reiterate what my colleague from UNDP has just said.
So on the ground, what we do is to map out these needs.
And for us, when we come in into that planning space with the rest of our colleagues and partners, we are mapping out the needs that women are bringing to us.
And then it all goes out as part of the emergency response plan with an attached budget.
And what we have seen consistently, like you rightly said, Yuri, is this chronic underfunding of the emergency in Sudan.
And what we have seen specifically around the needs that women are bringing towards us is my colleague Salva to earlier said it's been a 2% funding that's been available to meet all the needs that women have brought to us.
So just highlighting again how underfunded this response is.
And now what we are saying is when we meet with you like this, you help us to continue to highlight this issue of the underfunding.
You continue to highlight with us what the underfunding means in terms of the perpetuated or perpetual human suffering that we are seeing with every dollar that is missing.
This is the impact that it is saving on women, on children, on the general population and on civilians as a whole.
So I think all we can say for now is continue to highlight these gaps and the impact that the gaps are having on the lives of civilians in this country.
And we hope that the situation changes, but we have to continue speaking together on that.
Yeah, I think just thanks, Yuri for this very important question.
I think I will go back and say it's goes back to the priority of each member state and the priority is sometimes are also shaped by how much people know about the crisis.
If I would go and open any of the of the channels in the news, I see how Ukraine is being covered, how best is being covered, and I see how little Sudan is being covered.
So I would like to remind since this is exactly why me and my colleagues are here, to remind people about Sudan.
I also count on you and all media channels come to Sudan, report on what's happening, tell the stories because this is exactly what people need to to know so they can move Sudan up in the priority list.
I think as my colleague Muhammad, in his statement opening, he mentioned that this is one of the least talked about crisis.
And this is exactly, I think why we are not hitting the priorities that Sudan should be.
But we also count when you come to Sudan, try to help us make this reach everyone so we can reach the level of critical mass, either to stop the war or to help civilians on the ground.
Thank you very much, Mohammed.
And it's so important to underline this.
Really we need to continue talking about that.
In general, I don't think we like to put, you know, one crisis in competition with others.
What we would like to see is all crisis being funded to the level that it's needed and above all, all crisis to stop because the root causes have stopped.
But in the meantime, we need to continue speaking about it and really underline the huge needs of the Sudanese situation in terms of humanitarian aid.
If there are no other questions, I don't see any.
So thank you very, very much to all the colleagues that in the field and here in Geneva have been speaking about that.
As I said, we will continue to speak about Sudan because they need some immense thanks to Luca Renda, thanks to Anna Mutavati, Salvatore Currenciesa and of course, Sofia, who's there with them.
And we hope to see you soon.
Geneva back, Sophia, thanks to Muhammad Ali, to Sarah and Muhammad Rafat in Port Sudan.
And I'll now go to our next points.
Is that before I let Sarah go, Sarah has a little announcement on another subject.
And thanks to everybody else I like for you.
Thank you very much, Alessandra.
I've sent you yesterday a press release about Myanmar.
We we have collected new data from satellite and remote sensing technology that gives a clear idea of a widespread damage to home, hospital and critical infrastructure.
We what we see through this data collection is that about two and a half million tonnes of debris, which correspond to about 125 truckloads, need to be removed in Myanmar following the earthquake.
This is about 10,000 homes and public services buildings that have been damaged or destroyed.
First, obviously, because it gives a clear ID of the IQ needs, but also it helps to prioritise how you know the different sectors and the areas where recovery needs to start.
So more details in the press release and come to me if you want to have access to the to the data.
Thank you very much, Sarah.
Thanks also for the Sudan briefing.
OK, so let's go to now to Rome, where our colleague of UNICEF and Nicola de la Chiprete is there to brief us on the Nicola is the UNICEF Country Coordinator in Italy and he's there to to tell us about the thousands of children who have died in Central Mediterranean over the past decade.
10 years ago, around ten, 1050 people climbed aboard a Flincy wooden boat in Tripoli, Libya, a boat roughly the length of a tennis court.
Many of them were fleeing war and conflict.
They were hoping to reach safety in Europe.
Instead, as night fell, their overcrowded boat went down, killing 1022 people.
Only 28 survived, despite promises of never again following the 2015 disaster.
An estimated 3500 children have since died or disappeared attempting the same journey to Italy, a rate of roughly one child every day.
In total, more than 20,800 lives have been lost on this perilous route.
We know these figures are likely underestimates.
Many shipwrecks go are recorded and many leave no survivors.
In many cases, it is impossible to verify the ages of those who die.
The true number is likely much higher.
Children account for nearly 17% of those who make it across the central Mediterranean to Italy.
Around 70% Seven Zero are travelling alone, without a parent or a legal guardian.
Children arriving in Europe have fled from war, from conflict, violence or extreme poverty.
They have been in danger all the way, constantly at risk of exploitation and *****.
In desperation, they have taken potentially legal risks to reach a safe haven.
Many have put their lives in the hand of traffickers who have just one concern.
Not safety, not morality, money.
I saw this last week in Lampedusa, where there are children who had been crammed into dark, unventilated cargo holds.
Some arrived in Italy with burnt skin caused by prolonged contact with fuel.
This is the price of the lack of safe legal pathways, a price that is paid by children, and it keeps the money flowing into the pockets of the traffickers.
UNICEF is working on the ground in Italy with the government and other partners to meet children's immediate needs and support their long term integration into the communities where they now live.
And we work in their countries of origin too, to ease the impact of the problems that fuel global refugees and migrant movements, from poverty to climate change and conflict.
But now governments must do more.
We call on them to use the Migration and Asylum Pact to prioritise the best interests of children.
We call on them to ensure coordinated search and rescue, safe disembarkation, community based reception and access to asylum services.
Ultimately, together, we must do more to address the root causes in children's countries of origin that force them to take risks for their lives in the 1st place.
We call for more investment in services for children, because every child in every reception centre is entitled to exactly the same rights and services as a child born in the European Union.
We are entering the peak time for arrivals.
Last week in Lampedusa I learned that around 1000 people had arrived in recent days, including 80 unaccompanied children.
The situation there is certainly under control and transfers are being managed fairly swiftly and efficiently at the moment, but there are concerns.
Concerns about where unaccompanied children are being sent, how long they stay in first reception facilities and what happens when arrivals increase Inevitably as we move into the summer, a decade on from a tragedy that was meant to change everything, the reality is clear.
The promise of never again have not been kept.
With more children risking their lives to reach safety, the urgency to act with principle and resolve has never been greater.
Thank you very much, Nicola.
This is a very dire landscape that you're describing to us.
I'll open the floor to questions on this important subject.
There's no hand up in the room.
Let me see on the platform there is no and up, but it would be very useful if you could send out the if your colleagues could send out the notes because you contain a few important figures so that everybody can have them.
I'm looking at your colleagues here because I think James is not back yet.
So thanks for this important briefing, Carla.
And yeah, let's continue speaking also about this other important situation.
Oh, sorry, there is now a question.
Any colleague, if you're still there?
Isabel Sarco, the Spanish news agency.
Go ahead, Go ahead, Isabel.
We do, but you may not because you're not answering.
Yes, I am hearing you, but I have some.
Listen, I my question is please, if he can, he said that we are entering in the big season for arriving in Lampedusa in Italy.
So could you give details from where from when to when is this peak season, how many people arrived last year in this in this season to, to the coasts of Italy, Lampedusa or other places?
And what is the trend that you observed this you have observed up to to this point of the year regarding irregular arrivals by by by the sea?
The the crossing across the Central Mediterranean route is heavily impacted by weather conditions.
Therefore, the the summer season when sea conditions are easier for navigation is the part of the year where we traditionally have been seeing more arrivals.
Since the beginning of 2025, there has been more than 11,000 people who arrived in Italy by sea, including over 1300 and a company that separated children.
This is a decline compared to the figures that we had in the same period last year and we can provide you with a full outline of data as needed for you to look at.
In terms of the trend, yes, we have seen the numbers decreasing in the last in 2024 and in this first part of 2025, but we have all, we are also witnessing a **** number of vulnerabilities among those who arrive.
Vulnerabilities means particularly when it comes to unaccompanied minors, the existence of trauma, many people that arrive have been also subject to dire travelling condition and they need medical care.
And we, we, we are also supporting the authorities in managing those vulnerability.
Just to give you a maybe the data for last year, in 2023, we had 157,000 arrivals roughly.
Out of these, 17,000 were unaccompanied children and in 2024 there's been about 66,000 arrivals including 8000 unaccompanied children.
Thank you very much, Nicola.
It would also be useful if we could have this figures.
I'm looking at your colleagues in your in your notes.
Yes, yes, again with the sound yes.
Could you tell if any, any minor has been sent to Albania with by you know, taking part in this programme that that has been put in place by the government of Italy?
So children, women and vulnerable people are excluded from transfers to Albania under the agreement.
However, we would like to stress the importance of carrying out thorough, thoroughly all of the procedures that are needed for age assessment, so that we can avoid children and minors being wrongfully sent to those centres in Albania.
Thank you very much, Nicola.
I think we don't have other questions for you.
Thanks again and good luck with your important work.
Let's now go to the Middle East.
I have with me Tamim Al Kitan for OHCHR to tell us about Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Israeli military operations in Lebanon continue to **** and injure civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure, raising concerns regarding the protection of civilians.
According to our initial review, at least 71 civilians have been killed by Israeli forces in Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect on the 27th of November last year.
Among the victims are 14 women and nine children.
People remain gripped by fear and over 92,000 are still displaced from their homes.
More recently, for the first time since the ceasefire, the southern suburbs of Beirut have been hit in two different incidents.
The area targeted was in the vicinity in the vicinity of two schools.
A strike on a residential building in the early morning of the 1st of April killed 2 civilians and caused damage to a neighbouring buildings.
On the 3rd of April, Israeli air strikes hit a newly established medical centre run by the Islamic Health Society in Nakura, southern Lebanon, completely destroying the centre and damaging 2 ambulances.
And between the 4th and the 8th of April, multiple Israeli air strikes on several towns in the South of Lebanon reportedly killed at least six people.
Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory have hit civilian infrastructure since the ceasefire, including residential buildings, medical facilities, roads, and at least one cafe reportedly hit an ITA shop.
Also, since the ceasefire began, at least five rockets, 2 mortars and a drone have been launched from Lebanon towards the north of Israel.
According to the Israeli army, 10s of thousands of Israelis are still reportedly displaced from the north.
The violence must stop immediately.
All parties to the conflict must respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
There must be prompt, independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law, and those found responsible must be held to account.
All those internally displaced in Lebanon and in Israel should be able to safely return home.
Unexploded remnants of war in southern Lebanon should be removed to ensure people can safely resume their lives upon return.
UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights Worker Turk urges all parties to respect the commitments that they have made under the ceasefire, which needs to transition into a permanent cessation of hostilities, and to ensure full respect for and implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701.
Thank you very much, Tamin, and I'll open now the floor to questions.
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Thank you for this briefing.
Just a clarification in terms of your concerns, are you calling specifically for investigations into some of the the strikes there that you mentioned that killed civilians?
Or is this just a broad kind of reminder of general concern about what you're seeing?
And if you can, then as a second question, just give some detail the level of your concern on how this might impact the stability of the the ceasefire if such actions continue.
We are calling for investigations into all allegations of violations and these must all be investigated.
Each and every air strike, each and every military action where civilians are killed must be investigated.
When it comes to the ceasefire, of course, the ceasefire must hold and any escalation is a risk for stability in general in Lebanon and Israel and the whole region.
So this is very important, that ceasefire holds.
There are other questions.
I don't see any on the platform.
Before I let timing go, just to remind you that we have distributed in the Middle East always a statement to the of the spokesperson to the Secretary General in Gaza yesterday on the dire situation also in this part of the Middle East.
If there are no other questions that mean.
Jean, you have a briefing on the alarming situation in the RC, please.
I'm here today to update on the double crisis at the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing at the moment as the heavy flooding and ongoing conflict is still causing the the suffer and the displacement of the Congolese people.
Severe flooding trigger by torrential rain in recent weeks has displaced almost 10,000 people in Tanganyika province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This unfolding emergency reflect the double crisis facing the DRC, where extreme weather shocks such as a flooding compound the suffering caused by ongoing conflict and mass displacement.
The Rugumba River bursts its banks, flooding large area of Kalami and Nyunzhu territory.
Homes, schools and agricultural land have been destroyed, leaving 1000 without shelter or livelihood.
Stagnant and contaminated floodwaters are raising concerns over the risk of a disease outbreaks, with the reported cholera cases in the province already 6 times higher than during the same period last year.
The flooding has hit a community already under severe strain.
Since January, Tanganyika has received around 50,000 internally displaced people fleeing a violence in neighbouring S Kivu area.
Many had been sheltering in local homes, churches and schools and now damaged or destroyed.
The floods also wiped out key crops like a cassava, maize and peanut, worsening an already severe food insecurity situation in the country.
According to recent assessment, 2.3 million people across 4 provinces already affected by ongoing conflict, namely South and N Kivu, Ituri and Tanganika, face life ****** threatening Hungle in the coming month unless urgent action is taken.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and humanitarian partners are providing emergency support including shelter, clean water, food and medical care.
However, response efforts are hindered by clinical critical funding gaps, leaving 1000 without the aid they urgently need at the moment.
In addition, reports indicate that some Congolese refugee who recently fled to neighbouring Burundi have since returned to DRC.
Many cited dire living situation, including limited access to food, shelter and basic services as a key factors influencing their decision to return.
Even in the face of a persistent conflict and uncertainty in DRC.
However, Congolese refugees are still on the move as they continue to cross the border into neighbouring countries seeking safety.
Nearly 101 hundred 20,000 people have so far arrived in Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda.
Especially, Uganda has received over 5500 refugees in the last week only.
This trend highlights the urgent need for increased support in both host countries and return area in DRC to address the challenges faced by returnee and refugees in neighbouring countries.
With the continued displaced men caused by floods and conflict, food insecurity and the looming threats of a disease outbreaks such as cholera, A coordinate and robust humanitarian response is a critical to prevent a further suffering and loss of life.
UNATCR has received only 20% of a funding needed to carry out its life saving response in the DRC.
The people of the DRC are in dire need of aid and without timely and adequate intervention, the consequences of this tragic double crisis will only deepen.
Let me see if there are questions for you.
Maybe just to add, that's about the on, on another subject, but also including the UNHCRI know that UNHCRNUNDP are launching today the response plan for Syria, just to remind our journalist that this is going to be done in Oman and it's a UNHCR and UNDP joint launch says 1:00 PM Geneva time.
You can follow this, of course, online.
And that's the launch of the 2025 Regional Strategic Overview for the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan for the Syria crisis.
We're speaking here of a plan that requires 4.7 billion and it's one of the largest refugee response plans globally looking to reach over 4545.4 million Syrian refugees and more than 6.1 million host communities in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt before we leave the issue of refugees.
So I don't see any other hand.
So thank you very much, Eugene.
First of all, remember that Friday, it's a holiday.
The UN are closed here and in New York it's an official holiday.
So no briefing on Friday, No2, no, no briefing 2 And for the noon briefing for sorry for our briefing.
We will resume, of course, on Tuesday.
Then I wanted to remind you that this week the Committee against Torture will review the report of Armenia and France.
This afternoon, the Committee of the On the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families will officially present his General common #6 on the Convergent Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families through the Convention and Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
The Committee will close it's session on Thursday afternoon after Easter.
On Tuesday morning, 22nd of April, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will open it's 115th session, during which the reports of Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Republic of Korea and Ukraine will be examined.
WTO has asked me to inform you that WTO that they will hold tomorrow, Wednesday, an embargoed press conference on the global trade outlook and statistics.
The publication analysis, analysis sorry a recent global trade developments up to the fourth quarter of 2024 and presents the organisation forecast for World Trade in 2025 and 26.
The press conference will take place at 2:00 PM Geneva time and the embargo will be lifted at 3:00 PM.
The press conference will feature the General Anguzi on Oconjo Iwala and chief economist Ralph OSA.
He will be held in Room D of the WTO building and it will also be available via Zoom.
You can get an embargoed copy of the report and news item from the WTO Online Media newsroom at noon tomorrow.
And so, of course, if you wish to participate, get in contact with the colleagues at WTO at mediateam@wto.org.
And I think this is all I had.
Sorry for you if there are no questions for me.
Let's conclude this press briefing and have a nice rest of the week and nice long weekend and we'll see you on Wednesday, I think if I'm not wrong, 22nd.
