New York - Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
In response to a question about the decision to consider the UN representative in Sudan persona non grata, the UN spokesperson said that this principle does not apply to UN employees and that its activation contradicts the obligations of states, including with regard to the privileges and immunities guaranteed to the organization and its employees. According to the United Nations news bulletin, a copy of which we received at dawn on Saturday
This came after a statement issued Thursday by the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said that the German UN envoy, Volker Perthes, was persona non grata. The Sudanese army commander, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, had accused Perthes of contributing, with his "biased" behavior and "misleading" style, to the outbreak of the bloody conflict in Sudan in mid-April. According to media reports.
On the humanitarian front, spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said - in his daily press conference - that the humanitarian community was able to reach about 1.8 million people with humanitarian aid throughout Sudan during the months of April and May.
Despite the challenges, 68 humanitarian organizations continue to expand their operations to reach as many people as possible across the country.
Since resuming operations in Sudan in early May, WFP has provided emergency food and nutrition assistance to more than 817,000 people in 14 of Sudan's 18 states, including some hard-to-reach areas in Darfur.
On Thursday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs coordinated the movement of 11 trucks carrying much-needed food aid into North Darfur.
Dujarric expressed concern about the appalling levels of violence in Darfur, noting that some 8.6 million people are in urgent need of assistance.
He called for the need to protect civilians and humanitarian workers who risk their lives to help those in need.
A UN warning of the continuing effects of the fighting on civilians
On the other hand, the United Nations Office for Human Rights called on the warring parties in Sudan to make more efforts to protect civilians trapped in conflict areas.
This call came after recent deadly attacks and ongoing human rights violations in the context of the fighting between the Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, since mid-April.
The fighting caused thousands of deaths and injuries and the displacement of about 1.2 million people from their homes. UN agencies and partners have repeatedly warned of the growing humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Friday, a spokesman for the UN office, Jeremy Lawrence, expressed concern about "the continuing devastating impact of the fighting in Sudan on civilians."
Mr. Lawrence reported that at least eight people were killed as a result of an airstrike allegedly carried out by government aircraft on the Al-Muwaileh cattle market, on the outskirts of the capital, Khartoum, on Wednesday. At least three of the victims were from the same family.
A child was reported killed in a separate incident on the same day after a shell hit his house in Al Shajara area, south of Khartoum.
deaths among refugees and orphans
OHCHR also received reports that four more civilians were killed in the capital, Khartoum, on Monday, while at least three people from the same family - including a pregnant woman - were killed on Sunday.
In another incident, an airstrike on a refugee center near the Sports City, south of Khartoum, killed at least 10 refugees.
Moreover, at least 71 children have died at the Maigoma Orphanage in Khartoum since the fighting began due to a lack of humanitarian assistance, including medical supplies.