Workers in the relief field in Sudan have confirmed that violent fighting, the rampant looting, and bureaucratic procedures are hindering their efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to millions of people now relying on relief efforts since the outbreak of conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The workers pointed out that communication disruptions have hindered aid coordination and delayed the salaries of employees who depend on mobile applications after the banking system has largely ceased operations. Relief agencies are struggling to obtain entry visas to Sudan or travel permits to deliver aid within the country. A representative from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that "Sudanese embassies have not processed at least 40 visa applications as of May 27, and some people have refrained from applying because the process is unclear."
A military official indicated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handles visa applications for relief workers, and a national committee coordinates with officials from the Red Cross and Red Crescent for aid distribution. Jean-Nicolas Armstrong-Danglès, who oversees emergency coordination activities at Médecins Sans Frontières, stated: "Often we cannot move due to warehouses being looted or because the situation is not safe for our staff or truck drivers." He added that truck drivers are sometimes detained along with aid being seized.
International Committee of the Red Cross spokesperson, Aliona Senenko, mentioned, "It's not just the fighting... it extends to looting and the general state of chaos that complicates matters greatly." A representative from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that at least 162 trucks belonging to relief organizations have been stolen, while 61 offices and 57 warehouses have been looted. The UN office also noted that only 129 aid trucks out of 168 that were ready to deliver aid have reached their destinations across Sudan since May 24.
