A senior United Nations humanitarian official, Fletcher, says he has held “constructive conversations” with Sudanese authorities in Port Sudan aimed at securing safe and unhindered access for aid agencies struggling to reach millions caught up in the country’s deepening crisis.
The talks form part of Fletcher’s week-long mission to Sudan, where a brutal conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has pushed vast swathes of the population toward famine, mass displacement and the collapse of basic services.
Speaking after the meeting, Fletcher stressed that the priority is to ensure that humanitarian organisations can operate freely across all parts of the country in line with international principles.
He said the discussions focused on guaranteeing that aid workers can “continue to operate everywhere across Sudan to deliver in a neutral, independent and impartial way,” a key demand as agencies face access restrictions, insecurity and bureaucratic hurdles.
“The humanitarian community stands ready to scale up and deliver life-saving support at the levels necessary to reach tens of millions of Sudanese people with food, with medicine and with medical support,” Fletcher stated.
His remarks highlight the growing urgency to bridge the gap between ongoing diplomatic engagement and the realities on the ground, where communities are trapped by fighting, markets have collapsed, and hospitals are struggling to function.
Humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned that without secure corridors and predictable access, efforts to ramp up aid will fall far short of what is needed. Many areas remain difficult or impossible to reach due to active frontlines, damaged infrastructure and the risk of attacks on convoys and health facilities.
Fletcher’s visit is aimed at shoring up commitments from all sides to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and allow relief supplies to reach those most in need. Aid officials say that concrete guarantees on access, coupled with sustained funding from international donors, are essential to avert an even larger catastrophe.
As the conflict drags on, the UN and its partners argue that maintaining a strictly neutral and impartial humanitarian response is vital to reaching people in territories controlled by different armed actors. Fletcher’s message in Port Sudan underlines that, despite political and military rivalries, the survival of millions now depends on unfettered humanitarian operations across the entire country.
