International attempts to stop the fighting in Sudan have so far failed. AFP
International attempts to stop the fighting in Sudan have so far failed. AFP
International attempts to stop the fighting in Sudan have so far failed. AFP
International attempts to stop the fighting in Sudan have so far failed. AFP

News

US

UN resolution for Ramadan ceasefire in Sudan 'has been ignored'

'Nearly a year since this crisis began, the situation in Sudan remains catastrophic and it is only getting worse,' US ambassador says

Adla Massoud
Adla Massoud
United Nations

March 28, 2024

  • English
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The US envoy to the UN said on Thursday warring parties in Sudan had both undermined aid operations and ignored a Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan.

“Nearly a year since this crisis began, the situation in Sudan remains catastrophic and it is only getting worse,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters in New York.

"People are starving."

War broke out on April 15, 2023, between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Almost a year later, tens of thousands have been killed and millions forced from their homes, with the impoverished country pushed to the brink of famine.

According to the UN, almost 28 million people across the region affected by the conflict face acute food insecurity, with 18 million in Sudan, seven million in South Sudan and nearly three million in Chad.

The UN said about 730,000 children in Sudan, including more than 240,000 in Darfur, are believed to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield accused the SAF of impeding aid from Chad into Sudan's Darfur region, controlled by the rival RSF.

She called on the Sudanese military to immediately and fully reopen border crossings with Chad for humanitarian purposes.

The US diplomat said that should this not occur, the Security Council will take swift action to ensure life-saving aid is delivered and distributed, including, if necessary, through a cross-border mechanism.

International attempts to stop the fighting have so far failed. A series of ceasefires mediated by the US and Saudi Arabia during the early days of the war proved short-lived or collapsed as soon as they went into force.

The Sudanese army has rejected the UN ceasefire resolution adopted this month that called for a halt to fighting during Ramadan, which began on March 11, indicating its intention to fight on until victory.

It has said there would be no peace negotiations with the RSF before the paramilitary gives up the areas it has captured during the war.

Nearly quarter of a million children face famine in Sudan – video

The UN has accused both sides of committing “horrific violations and abuses”.

In a report published last month, the UN said the army and RSF have “used explosive weapons with wide-area effects, such as missiles fired from fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-aircraft weapons and artillery shells in densely populated areas”.

The report also accused the RSF of using civilians as human shields.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield urged the warring parties to stop fighting and get Sudan on the path to peace because “we cannot hope to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in and around Sudan if we do not address the root causes”.

US special envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello said the situation in the war-torn African state could grow dramatically worse in the coming weeks.

“It's been clear that the Sudanese people are very united in what they want: they want an end to this war," Mr Perriello said. "They want full cross-border and cross-line access.

“They want to build the core institutions of democratic Sudan.”

He voiced hope that Sudan's warring generals will resume talks after Ramadan and work to prevent a broader regional war, despite the failure of previous negotiations.

The US is eyeing April 18 for a possible resumption of peace talks on Sudan in Saudi Arabia, Mr Perriello said.

Displaced in Sudan – in pictures

  • Children who fled Sudan's Khartoum and Jazira states to escape the civil war are living in a camp for the internally displaced in Gadaref state. All photos: AFP
    Children who fled Sudan's Khartoum and Jazira states to escape the civil war are living in a camp for the internally displaced in Gadaref state. All photos: AFP
  • After nearly a year of war, Sudan is suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, the UN has warned
    After nearly a year of war, Sudan is suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, the UN has warned
  • There has barely been any let up in the fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
    There has barely been any let up in the fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
  • The UN said about 730,000 children in Sudan, including more than 240,000 in Darfur, are believed to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition
    The UN said about 730,000 children in Sudan, including more than 240,000 in Darfur, are believed to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition
  • About eight million people have been displaced by the war, which has destroyed the nation’s infrastructure
    About eight million people have been displaced by the war, which has destroyed the nation’s infrastructure
  • Many are stuck in tented camps like this one in Gadaref. The UN said 18 million of Sudan's 48 million people are acutely food insecure, five million of whom have reached the last level before famine
    Many are stuck in tented camps like this one in Gadaref. The UN said 18 million of Sudan's 48 million people are acutely food insecure, five million of whom have reached the last level before famine
  • The Security Council this month called for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan and better access to humanitarian aid
    The Security Council this month called for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan and better access to humanitarian aid
  • 'Since then, I regret to report that there has not been major progress on the ground,' said Edem Wosornu, a UN director of humanitarian operations
    'Since then, I regret to report that there has not been major progress on the ground,' said Edem Wosornu, a UN director of humanitarian operations
  • Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues in what has become a war of attrition
    Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues in what has become a war of attrition
  • But much suffering prevails among the internally displaced
    But much suffering prevails among the internally displaced
  • Relief operations are 'severely hampered' by a lack of access and resources, the UN said
    Relief operations are 'severely hampered' by a lack of access and resources, the UN said
  • The UN also called on regional powers to stop supplying arms to the warring parties in Sudan immediately, but there is no end in sight to the brutal civil war
    The UN also called on regional powers to stop supplying arms to the warring parties in Sudan immediately, but there is no end in sight to the brutal civil war
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UAE jiu-jitsu squad

Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)

Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

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Stree

Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

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T20 WORLD CUP 

2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland 

ODI WORLD CUP 

2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh 

CHAMPIONS TROPHY 

2025: Pakistan; 2029: India  

Results

Stage 7:

1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29

2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious

4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep

5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'

Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.

Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.

"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.

"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.

"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog

Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.

It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.

They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.

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Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

Porsche Taycan Turbo specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 1050Nm

Range: 450km

Price: Dh601,800

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE

1: Quinoa 

2. Bathua 

3. Amaranth 

4. Pearl and finger millet 

5. Sorghum

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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

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About Karol Nawrocki

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WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS

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The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor

Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000

Engine 3.5L V6

Transmission 10-speed automatic

Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km

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Gitex 2018
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Updated: March 29, 2024, 3:45 AM
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