The European Public Law Organization (EPLO), through its Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, hosted a high-level event titled “Sudan in Crisis: Voices from Beneath the Rubble for Justice and Peace”, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, as part of the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
The event aimed to raise global awareness about the deepening humanitarian and political crisis in Sudan, which is currently considered one of the gravest contemporary disasters in terms of human suffering. The country faces millions of displaced civilians and victims, amid a severe decline in international response.
The event brought together a distinguished panel of experts and high-level diplomats who emphasized that the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has led to the death of over 150,000 people, triggering the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis. Nearly 13 million people have been forced to flee their homes, over 30 million are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, and Sudan’s economy has collapsed with nearly every major city devastated.
The panel also highlighted the recent U.S. sanctions imposed on the Sudanese military following confirmed reports of its use of chemical weapons in the ongoing war.
Speakers stressed that “this bloody civil war, which neither party is capable of winning, must end immediately. The time has come for the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and silence the guns. Achieving this requires meeting at least the minimum necessary conditions.”
The session noted that while several attempts were made by the international community to initiate talks between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, all efforts failed. A key reason cited was the lack of genuine will or commitment—particularly on the part of the Sudanese Armed Forces—to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The military reportedly withdrew from multiple negotiation rounds and retreated to Port Sudan to avoid any political solution.
Speakers emphasized that the army has failed to present any political vision to resolve the crisis, continues to reject negotiations with the RSF, and believes the conflict can be won through force rather than dialogue. Furthermore, the military remains firmly opposed to civilian rule or any process leading to presidential elections, clinging to power while evading all initiatives and refusing to hand over governance to civilians.
The event was chaired by Ambassador George Papadatos, Head of EPLO’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, who in his opening remarks stressed the urgent need for international action to end the cycle of violence and initiate a genuine path to peace and accountability.
Panelists included Dr. Victor Digbal from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Ms. Mona Rishmawi, member of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan, and Dr. Ezzeddine Zayani, President of the Tunisian Center for Comprehensive Security Studies and former Tunisian Ambassador to the African Union.
The session explored the deteriorating humanitarian and political crisis in Sudan, widely recognized as one of the most severe humanitarian catastrophes today, marked by mass displacement, civilian suffering, and a waning international response.
The event brought together a select group of experts, policymakers, and representatives of humanitarian organizations.
It took place amid worsening conditions in Sudan, with warnings of mass famine, growing reports of the use of internationally banned weapons, and the near-total collapse of state institutions.
