France to host humanitarian conference for Sudan
France is hosting a humanitarian conference in Paris in April to provide aid to Sudan and neighboring countries. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne announced plans for the conference on Wednesday during a session with the lower house of parliament, without providing more details.
A conflict broke out in April last year between Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, his former deputy and commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The conflict led to the deaths of thousands of people so far and sparked a humanitarian disaster.
According to the UN, at least 25 million people, more than half the population, need aid, including nearly 18 million who face acute food insecurity. The fighting has also caused 1.6 million people to flee abroad, many to neighbouring Chad and Egypt. The organization says another 6.1 million are now homeless.
