On the third anniversary of the war in Sudan, former UN Special Representative for the country, Volker Perthes, called for an increase in humanitarian aid for Sudan. Perthes told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland that “more people in and around Sudan rely on food and medical aid than anywhere else”.
He stressed that the international Sudan Conference, taking place in Berlin on Wednesday, must “actually mobilize humanitarian aid rather than leaving it at mere appeals”. According to Perthes, besides the amount of support, the focus must also be on effectively implementing aid and ensuring that relief activities are not impeded or even co-opted by the warring factions.
Furthermore, Perthes demanded an end to gold imports from Sudan. “Sudan is the third largest gold producer in Africa. The warring parties fund their conflict with the revenues generated from it. Therefore, it is crucial that no more gold is imported from Sudan” he stated. Currently, most gold from Sudan is exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with some amounts also going to Egypt, and from there onward to the global market. This flow eventually reaches Europe.
Perthes suggested that a possibility for a ceasefire in Sudan would only exist if the countries backing the warring parties ceased supporting them. “If the supply of weapons, ammunition, and fuel disappears, this should increase the willingness to opt for a calm situation” Perthes added. He singled out Egypt and the UAE as countries that have a particular responsibility in this regard, and suggested that the US should urge these nations toward restraint in Sudan.
