Yvette Cooper has emphasized the lack of global awareness regarding the urgent humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where reports detail mass killings, starvation, and the use of rape as a weapon of war.
The Foreign Secretary strongly criticized the disturbing events unfolding in the Darfur region following the takeover by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of el-Fasher. Approximately 260,000 individuals, half of whom are children, are stranded in conditions akin to famine, isolated from aid and exposed to lethal violence.
During a summit in Bahrain, Ms. Cooper, alongside foreign ministers from Germany and Jordan, advocated for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing civil conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese military since 2023.
In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, she highlighted the need for world leaders to prioritize resolving the conflict in Sudan with the same vigor as other global crises. Ms. Cooper stressed the severity of the situation, with around 8 million people facing famine, equivalent to the population of London, yet lacking the necessary urgency in response.
She underscored the atrocities unfolding due to RSF advancements in el-Fasher, where 130,000 children remain trapped amid executions and horrifying instances of sexual violence being employed as a weapon of war. Ms. Cooper called for renewed efforts to secure a ceasefire, provide humanitarian aid, protect civilians, and safeguard women and girls from such egregious violence.
Recently, Ms. Cooper pledged £5 million in emergency UK funding for aid, including food and medical supplies, with a specific allocation of £2 million for aiding survivors of sexual violence.
The Foreign Secretary expressed concern over the regression in protecting women during conflicts since the passage of a UN resolution 25 years ago, highlighting the importance of addressing violence against women and girls within the realm of international cooperation and foreign policy.