After more than a year of war, Sudan is now experiencing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, according to United Nations estimates. The war, which began on 15 April 2023, erupted between the regular army, led by General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces, headed by General Hemedti. Since the outbreak of violence, nearly 15,000 people have lost their lives, and over eight million have been forced to flee their homes, with 2.9 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Alarmingly, 4.6 million of those displaced are children. Severe hunger affects a third of the population, while 25 million people, just over half the population, are in urgent need of various forms of aid.
Violations of international humanitarian law are escalating, with increasing reports of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, violence against civilians, abductions and the forced mobilisation of men, along with the recruitment of children into armed groups.
What are the underlying causes of this conflict, and what triggered the outbreak of violence? What steps could help the warring factions reach a ceasefire, and would such an agreement be enough given the scale of the conflict? What role do the other stakeholders involved in the conflict play, and what are their interests? How are civilians coping with the conflict, particularly ethnic groups and communities that have remained neutral? What impact is the conflict having on neighbouring countries, how destabilising could it become? How can we enhance the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid? Why is the world’s largest humanitarian disaster currently not receiving adequate attention from the media, politicians and the global public? How can we ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity? What role can the UN and the African Union play in this effort?
On Monday, 14 October, the Bled Strategic Forum, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Faculty of Social Sciences, invites you to attend a Bled Strategic Forum Discussion aimed at addressing the above questions. The discussion will take place in the Grand Hall of the Faculty of Social Sciences, beginning at 17:00. The event will be opened by Prof. Dr Iztok Prezelj, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, along with a representative (TBA) from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.
Registration is required by 13 October 2024 at the link. The debate will be conducted in English.
One of the guests will be Suleiman Jamous, elder of the Zaghawa people of Africa, humanitarian coordinator for Darfur’s largest rebel group, protector of women, children and elderly refugees, and peacemaker. The discussion will also feature Tomo Križnar, a peacemaker, traveller, writer and filmmaker with decades of experience in Sudan, and Bojana Pivk Križnar, a journalist and educator who has long advocated for Sudan’s most deprived and vulnerable populations. The Sudanese perspective will also be represented by Idris Fadul, who lives in Kranj with his Slovenian wife and children and follows events in his homeland closely through online communication with acquaintances, and Nagmi Sidahmed, who returned from Sudan with his family last month and offers first-hand testimony.
The event is co-organised by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana.