Sudan suspends all Red Cross activities

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has recently received an official letter from the Sudanese Humanitarian Affairs Commission (HAC) asking it to suspend all its activities in Sudan. The suspension would go into effect on 1 February, the ICRC told Radio Dabanga. Sources say the suspension came in place because the ICRC and the Sudanese government were not able to reach an agreement on the activities the organisation conducts in the country. However, ICRC official spokesman Rafi Qureshi could not confirm this information. Qureshi told Radio Dabanga the ICRC will enter new negotiations with the HAC, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities within the upcoming days. He said the aim of ICRC is to resume its activities in favour of the victims of armed conflicts and violence in Sudan. File photo: The Red Cross in Sudan (ICRC) Related: Organisations suspend aid in South Darfur’s El Salam camp (19 January 2014) Aid workers allowed access to 45,000 displaced in South Darfur (8 January 2014)Sudan’s Foreign Minister regrets expulsion of aid groups (28 November 2013)