Within the context of national and international efforts aimed at strengthening the humanitarian response and assessing field conditions in the Darfur region, and following high-level consultations and coordination between relevant national stakeholders and United Nations partners, an understanding was reached to organize a visit by a United Nations assessment team to the city of El Fasher. This visit comes within the framework of supporting humanitarian action and ensuring safe and effective access for humanitarian assistance to affected populations.
This understanding resulted from a series of technical and institutional communications and consultations, which led to the formation of a UN assessment team composed of five staff members, including representatives from the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), the World Food Programme (WFP), and several relevant UN agencies. The mission aims to conduct an on-the-ground assessment of the humanitarian situation and urgent needs, as well as to evaluate the operational environment for humanitarian work in El Fasher.
Al Fajr Organization for Peace, Development and Justice welcomes the visit of the United Nations delegation to El Fasher, which comes at a critically important time in light of the repercussions of the armed conflict, including large-scale displacement, severe deterioration of basic services, and the sharp increase in urgent humanitarian needs.
The Organization considers this visit a positive step toward providing a direct and independent field-based assessment of the humanitarian situation. It also contributes to efforts aimed at protecting civilians, ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access, and strengthening coordination among the various actors involved in humanitarian response.
The delegation’s visit included a number of key sites, notably displacement shelters hosting large numbers of internally displaced persons, health facilities—most prominently the Saudi Hospital—as well as the premises of United Nations agencies operating in El Fasher. Within the scope of the access granted, the delegation reviewed the conditions of displaced populations, the level of services provided, and existing gaps in food security, health care, water, and shelter.
Al Fajr Organization for Peace, Development and Justice notes that this visit carries important positive implications, including shedding light on actual humanitarian needs on the ground, contributing to the restoration of trust among affected communities in international response mechanisms, and opening space for the enhancement and expansion of humanitarian organizations’ activities in line with the scale of existing needs.
In this context, the Organization emphasizes that the success of any humanitarian effort or UN field assessment remains fundamentally dependent on the extent to which the authorities exercising effective control over the administration of the country (the de facto authorities) commit to facilitating humanitarian operations, ensuring safe and unhindered freedom of movement for humanitarian personnel, and refraining from any practices that may politicize aid, obstruct its delivery, or divert it for non-humanitarian purposes, in accordance with their legal obligations under international humanitarian law.
With regard to the concerns of the Human Rights Council, the Organization believes that granting field access to a specialized UN delegation constitutes a constructive step toward presenting a realistic and balanced picture of the humanitarian and human rights situation, addressing concerns related to violations through direct assessment and on-site observation, and reinforcing the principles of transparency and cooperation with relevant United Nations mechanisms.
From the perspective of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, the Organization affirms that the protection of civilians and the non-discriminatory delivery of humanitarian assistance constitute core legal obligations under customary international humanitarian law and relevant international conventions. Facilitating the work of United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations is consistent with the fundamental principles of humanity, neutrality, and independence, and reinforces respect for the right to life and human dignity in situations of armed conflict.
Based on the above, Al Fajr Organization for Peace, Development and Justice recommends the following:
1. Strengthening security and humanitarian coordination to ensure the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers.
2. Giving urgent priority to the rehabilitation of water sources and damaged basic infrastructure.
3. Supporting mine clearance and explosive remnants of war (ERW) programs and ensuring adequate resources for their implementation.
4. Launching urgent interventions to address disruptions in education and to carry out vaccination campaigns for children.
5. Ensuring the continuity of food supply and improving distribution mechanisms in a manner that upholds equity and transparency.
6. Intensifying efforts to search for missing persons and facilitate family reunification for conflict-affected families.
7. Developing a comprehensive and safe plan for the return of displaced persons, including housing rehabilitation, provision of temporary shelter, and guarantees of a safe and stable environment.
8. Ensuring the meaningful participation of local communities and civilian leadership in the planning and implementation of humanitarian response efforts.
In conclusion, Al Fajr Organization for Peace, Development and Justice reaffirms its full commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts, defending human rights, and cooperating with United Nations agencies and all national and international partners, in a manner that contributes to alleviating civilian suffering, achieving an effective humanitarian response, and building a just and sustainable peace.