UN voices alarm over restricted aid access in Sudan’s Blue Nile

KHARTOUM – The United Nations voiced deep concern on Wednesday over the worsening humanitarian situation in Sudan’s Blue Nile state, citing increasing obstacles hindering aid workers from reaching displaced communities.

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, highlighted that persistent insecurity and bureaucratic hurdles were impeding humanitarian access to affected areas where clashes have recently erupted.

“Continued insecurity and bureaucratic impediments have prevented humanitarian partners from reaching those in need,” Dujarric told a briefing.

The violence in parts of Blue Nile and South Kordofan states involves the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), a group that has aligned itself with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The SPLM-N faction, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, is part of a coalition seeking to establish a parallel government in RSF-held territories.

According to UN figures, recent fighting has displaced at least 4,000 people from Bau locality to Damazin, the state capital. However, only about 600 of these individuals have reached formal displacement sites within the city so far.

The UN has urged all parties to ensure safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver critical assistance to those in need.

The humanitarian challenges are compounded by the arrival of new waves of refugees from South Sudan into parts of Blue Nile state, further underscoring the growing complexity of the situation in the region, Dujarric noted.

“The arrival of new refugees from South Sudan in recent weeks highlights the increasing complexity of the situation,” he said.

The UN’s concerns arise amid a broader escalation of violence across Sudan, where the conflict between the SAF and the RSF has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Blue Nile and South Kordofan, regions historically marked by marginalization and conflict, are experiencing renewed instability as local and national conflicts converge.

Humanitarian agencies have long faced difficulties in gaining consistent access to these regions, even before the current war began in April 2023.

The alignment of the SPLM-N with the RSF-controlled coalition marks a significant shift in Sudan’s conflict dynamics, with both groups seeking to expand their influence over strategic regions and critical humanitarian corridors.

The UN is calling on all armed actors to prioritize the protection of civilians and ensure the delivery of life-saving aid, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where thousands remain cut off from essential services.

As the conflict continues and displacement increases, humanitarian officials warn that without immediate and unhindered access, the needs of vulnerable populations—including women, children, and the elderly—will continue to grow at an alarming rate.

The UN has reiterated its appeal to all parties involved in the conflict to uphold international humanitarian law and facilitate the safe passage of aid workers and supplies to those most affected.