UN Secretary-General António Guterres Calls for Immediate Ceasefire and Humanitarian Access in Sudan
In a powerful and urgent appeal, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan, urging all warring factions to lay down their weapons and prioritize the protection of civilians. His statement comes amid intensifying violence that has plunged the nation into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan,” Guterres declared, emphasizing the dire need for peace, stability, and humanitarian relief in a country ravaged by months of devastating conflict.
The ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has resulted in widespread destruction, mass displacement, and an alarming death toll. According to the UN, millions have been forced to flee their homes, with countless others trapped in conflict zones where access to food, water, and medical assistance remains extremely limited.
Guterres stressed the need for safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access, calling on all parties to facilitate the delivery of aid to civilians in desperate need. “The people of Sudan are facing unimaginable suffering,” he said. “Humanitarian workers must be able to reach them without fear or obstruction.”
He also demanded an immediate end to the flow of weapons and foreign fighters into the country, warning that external interference only fuels further instability and prolongs the suffering of innocent people. The Secretary-General underscored that peace in Sudan cannot be achieved through arms but through dialogue, diplomacy, and compromise.
“The flow of weapons and fighters must stop,” Guterres urged. “Every additional gun, every foreign fighter entering Sudan, adds fuel to a fire that has already consumed too many lives.”
Calling for renewed diplomacy, Guterres urged both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to engage in meaningful negotiations under international mediation. “I call on the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to come to the negotiating table to bring an end to this nightmare of violence — now,” he said.
The United Nations, along with regional and international partners, continues to push for humanitarian corridors, ceasefire monitoring, and dialogue-based peace efforts to end the hostilities. However, repeated truces have failed to hold, and reports of atrocities continue to surface, including attacks on civilians, looting of aid convoys, and the destruction of vital infrastructure.
Guterres’s remarks reflect growing international frustration and a sense of urgency to prevent Sudan’s crisis from spiraling further into a prolonged civil war with catastrophic regional implications.
As the UN intensifies diplomatic efforts, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to the Sudanese people: “The world cannot turn away. The violence must stop. Humanitarian aid must flow. Peace must prevail.”
His appeal stands as a reminder of the international community’s moral obligation to act swiftly and decisively — not only to halt the bloodshed but to restore hope for millions yearning for peace in Sudan.
