Press Conference - OCHA: 05 October 2023
/
30:44
/
MP4
/
1.8 GB

Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA

OCHA - Press Conference - 05 October 2023

Sudan conflict creates world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis: OCHA

As heavy fighting continues in Sudan, the UN’s top aid official in the country warned on Thursday that the conflict has created “the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis” which threatens to outstrip the Organization’s best efforts to help those most in need.

“The past six months have caused untold suffering in Sudan” and forced more than 5.4 million people from their homes, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, the UN official noted that approximately 30,000 a day have fled fighting, “some fleeing with nothing but the clothes on their backs”.

Ms. Nkweta-Salami continued: “I’ve met mothers in Sudan who’ve told me they don’t know where to find the next meal for their children. I’ve met families sleeping in makeshift shelters, struggling to find food and water and unable to access healthcare; their children out of school and the family breadwinners out of work.”

Conflict ‘could consume entire country’

Half of Sudan’s population – 24.7 million people - now require humanitarian assistance and protection, the UN official continued, before warning that conflict, displacement and disease outbreaks now “threaten to consume the entire country”.

Last month, the UN and partners delivered 3,000 tonnes of lifesaving aid supplies using 66 trucks across six states. “But we need to be able to deliver much more, safely, repeatedly and fast,” Ms. Nkweta-Salami insisted. “We need to reach 18 million people and we will not give up on that target.”

Harvests under threat

Clashes involving heavy weaponry and airstrikes broke out on 15 April between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fighting initially focused in and around the capital, Khartoum, along with the Darfur region, but Ms. Nkweta-Salami expressed concerns that the conflict could spread to Gezira state, Sudan's breadbasket.

“This would have great consequences for food security,” she said, noting that the violence “has already crippled Sudan's health sector, with 70 per cent of all hospitals no longer functional”.

Humanitarians are equally concerned about reports of increasing cases of sexual and gender-based violence, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and grave violations of human and children's rights.

Cholera ‘near impossible to control’

In addition to the destruction of war which is believed likely to have claimed thousands of lives including 19 aid workers to date, Sudan’s people have also faced further shocks in recent weeks as heavy rains and floods have affected more than 70,000 people across seven states, prompting concerns of a spike in waterborne diseases.

A cholera outbreak has been declared in the eastern state of Gedaref and humanitarians are already investigating whether it has spread to Khartoum and South Kordofan.

“With fighting escalating, it may be near impossible to control,” Ms. Nkweta-Salami said, as she called on the warring parties to recommit to previous pledges to “de-escalate fighting, minimize civilian harm and refrain from any disproportionate attacks”.

Humanitarians ‘pushing the limits’

Delivering aid in a warzone is extremely complicated, dangerous and time-consuming, often involving negotiations with various armed groups for access to remote communities, the UN official explained.

Despite these challenges, she insisted that relief teams were stepping up efforts to reach Sudan’s most vulnerable communities. “We have a very committed humanitarian team on the ground, we are trying to push the limits of our ability to reach some of these hard-to-reach areas. And I think if we get a strong not only commitment, but a commitment that is translated today into positive action by all the parties to this conflict, then hopefully we will have no longer deaths amongst humanitarian workers.”

ends

STORY: Sudan Conflict Humanitarian Update: OCHA

TRT: 2 min 14s

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 5 October 2023 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

  1. Exterior medium: UN flag alley, UN Geneva
  2. Wide: speaker and attendees at the press conference, screens with speaker
  1. SOUNDBITE (English) – Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan: “The past six months has caused untold suffering in Sudan. Some 5.4 million have fled their homes and are totally displaced within Sudan or in neighbouring countries; that’s an average of about 30,000 a day, many fleeing with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Sudan has become the world’s fastest growing displacement crisis.”
  1. Medium: speaker and attendees at the press conference, screens with speaker
  2. SOUNDBITE (English) – Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan: “Half of Sudan’s population – 24.7 million people - now require humanitarian (assistance) and protection as conflict, displacement and disease outbreaks threaten to consume the entire country.
  3. Medium wide: moderator and Ms. Nkweta-Salami.
  4. SOUNDBITE (English) – Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan: “I’ve met mothers in Sudan who’ve told me they don’t know where to find the next meal for their children. I’ve met families sleeping in makeshift shelters, struggling to find food and water and unable to access healthcare; their children out of school and the family breadwinners out of work.”
  5. Medium: journalist following proceedings.
  6. SOUNDBITE (English) – Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan: “In recent weeks another shock has hit Sudan as the heavy rains and floods have affected more than 70,000 people across seven states.
  7. Medium-wide: journalists attending the press conference.
  8. SOUNDBITE (English) – Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan: “And as the fighting spreads, we are receiving reports of increasing cases sexual and gender-based violence, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and grave violations of human and children’s rights.”
  9. Medium: journalist looking down at laptop (out of shot) during press conference.
  10. SOUNDBITE (English) – Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan: “Three thousand metric tonnes of aid supplies were delivered by 66 trucks across six states, but we need to be able to deliver much more, safely, repeatedly and fast. We need to reach 18 million people and we will not give up on that target.”
  11. Wide: speaker addressing journalists from podium, reverse shot.
  12. Medium: journalist turning to look at podium.
  13. Medium-wide: journalists following press conference.

Similar Stories

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , WHO

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Death and suffering in Gaza are ever-present and the enclave's people now have little choice but to risk their lives to fetch aid supplies, UN agencies said on Friday. “I met a little boy who was wounded by a tank shell at one of these sites on the final day of me leaving Gaza - I learnt that this little boy had since died of those injuries,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That speaks to both what is happening at these sites and what is not happening when it comes to medical evacuations.”

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNOG , UNICEF , WHO , UNHCR , HRC , UNCTAD

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of UNICEF, WHO, HRC, UNCTAD, UNHCR

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva

1

1

1

Edited News | UNCTAD

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva ENG FRA

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched today the World Investment Report 2025. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows, according to the report.

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press Conference: Elections in the digital age - 19 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OHCHR

OHCHR/Special Procedures - Press Conference: Elections in the digital age - 19 June 2025 ENG FRA

Press conference of the UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of opinion and expression and the UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of peaceful assembly and association

UNCTAD Press conference - 19 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNCTAD

UNCTAD Press conference - 19 June 2025 ENG FRA

Publication of the World Investment Report 2025

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader

1

1

1

Edited News

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader ENG FRA

Afghan journalist Zahra Nader fled twice due to Taliban rule, highlighting severe women's rights issues.

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza

1

1

1

Edited News

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza ENG FRA

Gazan photojournalist Motaz Azaiza documents war's impact, gaining global attention but facing personal peril.

HRC 59 Press conference: Commission of Inquiry on OPT and Israel - 18 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | HRC

HRC 59 Press conference: Commission of Inquiry on OPT and Israel - 18 June 2025 ENG FRA

Launch of the latest report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel

Human Rights Council - Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

Human Rights Council - Iran ENG FRA

As the Iran-Israel crisis continued into a sixth day, the UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif called for urgent talks to end the continuing exchanges of missile attacks between Tehran and Tel-Aviv.

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025

2

1

1

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025 ENG FRA

Heavy fighting in Sudan continues to escalate as a “direct result” of the continued flow of arms into the country meaning that the war is far from over, top independent human rights investigators said on Tuesday.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 17 June 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | HRC , WHO , UNWOMEN , WMO , ICRC , UNCTAD

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 17 June 2025 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the World Health Organization, International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations Women, United Nations Trade and Development, the Human Rights Council, and the World Meteorological Organization.

Gaza mass casualty incidents  WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza mass casualty incidents WHO ENG FRA

More Gazans killed trying to get food, healthcare near to ‘full disaster’

Gaza’s health system is at breaking point, overwhelmed time and again by scores of patients killed or injured near aid distribution sites, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.