The African Union, European Union, UK, France and Germany agreed to the urgency of decisive efforts to resolve the Sudan conflict, calling on the warring parties to take concrete and immediate action to respect international humanitarian law.

In a joint statement following a meeting in London on Tuesday, they reiterated their strong commitment to the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Sudan.

"We recognised the urgency of the humanitarian situation and discussed how we can best align and strengthen efforts to get assistance to those who need it most," they said.

The statement came after the one-day London Sudan Conference co-hosted by the UK with the African Union, EU, France and Germany, where foreign ministers and humanitarian leaders gathered to mark the two-year anniversary of the Sudan conflict.

Global representation

High-level representatives from countries including Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Qatar, Türkiye and the US were among the attendees, along with the foreign ministers of the UK, France and Germany, as well as European Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib and Bankole Adeoye, African Union commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

The statement pointed out that the conflict in Sudan is entering its third year as the Sudanese people continue to be subject to "terrible violence and suffering".

"The priority must be to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire and end the conflict," said the statement, adding the participants reject all activities, including external interference, that heighten tensions or that prolong or enable fighting.

Expressing support for the transition to a civilian-led government in Sudan, they stressed that it must be Sudanese people who articulate and decide the political future of their country.

‘Immediate action’

"Recognising the urgency and the scale of the humanitarian crisis...participants reiterated their call upon the warring parties to take concrete and immediate action to respect international humanitarian law and alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people," they said.

"We further expressed alarm over continued and heightened violence against international and national humanitarian workers."

They also urged the parties to lift all impediments and guarantee safe, rapid and unimpeded access throughout the country for humanitarian supplies and personnel.

Since April 15, 2023, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been battling the army for control of the country, resulting in thousands of deaths and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.