Foreign ministers of the G7 countries on Tuesday called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Sudan, marking two years since the outbreak of civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.
The ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union, urged both parties to engage in "serious, constructive negotiations" to end the fighting, which erupted in April 2023.
"The people of Sudan, especially women and children, are enduring the world's largest humanitarian and displacement crises," the ministers said in a joint statement, citing "widespread conflict-related sexual violence, ethnically motivated attacks and reprisal killings."
Figures from the United Nations suggest that more than 12 million people have been displaced in the conflict, while 24.6 million face acute hunger within the country.
"As famine continues to spread across Sudan, G7 members are disturbed by reports of the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and reiterate that such actions are prohibited under international humanitarian law," the statement said.
Human rights organizations have accused both sides of war crimes such as sexual violence, attacks on civilians and ethnic cleansing.
The G7 statement came as representatives from around 20 countries gathered in London for an international aid conference aimed at addressing the crisis. Germany pledged €125 million ($142 million) in aid for Sudan and neighbouring countries.
Many aid organizations have voiced frustration that Sudan's crisis receives far less global attention than the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine - reflected not only in media coverage but also in funding.
