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NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for an end to the external flow of weapons into Sudan, which is “enabling the continuation of tremendous civilian destruction and bloodshed.”

He also called for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers, and for unrestricted access to aid in areas of need.

“Let’s (be) clear about basic principles,” said Guterres. “Civilians, including humanitarian workers, must be protected.

“Rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access must be facilitated in all areas of need.

“The external support and flow of weapons must end. This flow is enabling the continuation of tremendous civilian destruction and bloodshed.”

Guterres was speaking in Addis Ababa at a high-level meeting on Sudan, where he emphasized that the country’s crisis, which has displaced millions and caused widespread suffering, requires an unprecedented response.

Next week the UN, along with national and international partners, will launch two major humanitarian plans to assist those affected by the conflict: the 2025 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, and the 2025 Sudan Refugee Response Plan.

They collectively aim to raise $6 billion to support an estimated 21 million people in Sudan and up to 5 million refugees in neighboring countries.

Guterres called for urgent international action to alleviate the deepening humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged country.

“Now the international community must show the same level of support to the Sudanese people in their moment of despair as the Sudanese people once showed to their neighbors in distress. “Your pledges today, in this room, will be the expression of that support,” he told donors.

Having served as the UN high commissioner for refugees, Guterres shared his personal experiences of working in Sudan, where he witnessed the hospitality of Sudanese people toward internally displaced populations as well as refugees from countries such as Eritrea, Chad, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

He also praised the efforts of countries hosting Sudanese refugees, noting that 3.3 million Sudanese have sought refuge in these nations despite their own challenges.

War has been raging for 19 months between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

A report by the Sudan Research Group at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine puts the number of deaths in Khartoum state alone at 61,000.

Of these, 26,000 were directly caused by violence, while the leading cause of death across Sudan was preventable disease and starvation.

The death toll is even higher in other parts of the country, particularly in Darfur, where reports of atrocities and ethnic cleansing have been widespread.

Aid workers have warned that the conflict in Sudan has resulted in the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with thousands more at risk of famine.

The UN and other aid organizations have cited 20,000 confirmed deaths, but due to the ongoing fighting and disorder there has been no consistent tracking of casualties.

Last May, US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello said some estimates suggested as many as 150,000 people may have been killed.

Guterres warned that Sudan’s crisis continues to be “of staggering scale and brutality” and is worsening by the day, with violence spilling over into neighboring regions and humanitarian access remaining a major obstacle.

The Sudanese people “are crying out for an immediate ceasefire” and protection from further harm, he said.

Guterres assured attendees that the UN special envoy for Sudan is actively engaged with the warring parties to implement measures that could help achieve these objectives, including through the full execution of the Jeddah Declaration, which was signed by the US, Saudi Arabia, and representatives of both warring sides on May 20, 2023.

It was intended to facilitate a week-long ceasefire and the distribution of humanitarian aid in Sudan, but a day after it came into effect, clashes erupted again.

With Ramadan fast approaching, Guterres appealed to the international community to take decisive action, invoking the holy month’s spirit of peace, compassion and solidarity.

He urged leaders to provide generous support to the humanitarian response, advocate for respect of international law, and push for an immediate cessation of hostilities to help bring peace to Sudan.

“We must do more — and do more now — to help the people of Sudan out of this nightmare,” he said.