Sudan: Ruto Cautions Warring Parties On Humanitarian Operations.

By Samuel Ouma

Kenyan President William Ruto has implored warring parties in Sudan to allow humanitarian agencies to operate freely.

In a statement released by the State House, President Ruto said the agencies are helping to alleviate the suffering caused by the conflict, and their work should proceed unimpeded.

He spoke when he met the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who briefed him on Sudan's humanitarian and refugee crisis.

Mr Grandi told President Ruto, the chair of the Quartet Group of Countries on the IGAD roadmap to peace in Sudan, that the situation has escalated and the number of refugees fleeing the war is expected to hit the two million mark.

"The huge number of refugees at the borders of Egypt and Chad have led to a lot of suffering," he said.

"The saddest part is that the humanitarian staff  are not respected and the UNHCR office in Khartoum has been destroyed,” he added.

As chair of the IGAD Quartet Group of Countries, President Ruto said they were working to end the crisis. The quartet brings together Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

President Ruto said the Council of Ministers of the group met on Monday under the chairmanship of Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Alfred Mutua.

Mr Grandi informed President Ruto that the UN agency had received a massive boost for its humanitarian efforts after a call for donations raised $1.5 billion on Monday. He said the organisation is seeking $3 billion.

President Ruto commended the fundraising effort and thanked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his tremendous leadership.