UN Refugee Chief Calls Sudan War Shameful as Funding Cuts Strain Relief
Barham Salih urges a political end to the conflict while warning that budget cuts are limiting water and medical care for displaced populations.
By Alessia Desai ·
The head of the UN refugee agency called the ongoing war in Sudan shameful and demanded a political solution to stop the fighting.
Barham Salih, who took over as head of UNHCR in January, gave the assessment during an interview with France 24. He noted that the conflict has entered its fourth year, displacing millions and killing or maiming hundreds of thousands. Salih, a former Iraqi president and former refugee, described the situation as embarrassing for the 21st century.
Salih highlighted that recent funding cuts have drastically affected operations. He pointed to specific shortages in refugee camps as evidence of the strain. In Adré, Chad, UNHCR currently provides only eight litres of water per person per day. In Gambela, Ethiopia, a community of 60,000 refugees relies on a single doctor. The agency chief stated that these conditions are not acceptable, although he noted the European Union has increased its financial support.
The refugee chief also addressed growing political debates around asylum. He warned that the system is under threat from a politicized and weaponized discourse. Salih argued that asylum and immigration control are complementary rather than competing priorities, defending the integrity of the asylum process.
Salih emphasized that efficiency has its limits when resources are reduced. He urged the international community to act before the needs of those in dire distress outpace the agency's capacity to respond.
