Addressing the Council, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs warned that Sudan has endured “1,000 days of a brutal war that has nearly destroyed the third largest country in Africa” and that “no corner of Sudan is safe from the threat of attack.” The humanitarian scale was further underscored when Sudan was described as facing “the biggest – and the gravest – humanitarian catastrophe in the world,” with over 12 million displaced and millions more in urgent need of assistance.

Civil society briefer Hala Alkarib told the Council that “every red line — siege, forced displacement, man-made famine, genocide, mass rape — has been crossed.” These statements validate what ITUC-Africa documented on the ground: systematic targeting of civilians, destruction of livelihoods and infrastructure, gender-based violence, and acts amounting to genocide against vulnerable communities.

ITUC-Africa, therefore, states clearly: condemnation alone is not enough. The international community must move from words to decisive action — enforcing ceasefire efforts, protecting civilians, ensuring humanitarian access, and supporting Sudan’s path to peace, recovery and reconstruction.

We welcome the Government of Sudan’s commitment to dialogue, national reconciliation, and political transition. However, there can be no peace without justice. As affirmed during the Council’s briefing, “accountability must apply to all perpetrators, regardless of affiliation.” Those who committed atrocities, and those who financed or sustained the war, must face international law. Impunity will only prolong suffering and instability. We reiterate that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) must be held accountable for financing Africa’s deadliest rebellion.

African workers stand in unwavering solidarity with the people and workers of Sudan. The evidence is clear, the suffering undeniable, and the responsibility shared. The time for decisive international action —anchored in justice, accountability, and reconstruction — is now.

Issued in Lomé, Togo on 19 February 2026

Akhator Joel Odigie
General Secretary
ITUC-Africa