Voices of the Continent 9 9 2026 Dr Ibrahim Al Tahawy

Summary of the Video’s Main Points (Sudan)

Active War with Fragmented Control

• The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is described as ongoing on multiple major fronts, especially in Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Darfur.
• There are said to be competing administrative control systems:
  • RSF influence is associated with areas around Port Sudan and gains near Khartoum.
  • Darfur is characterized as a stronghold for RSF, contributing to an increasingly fragmented landscape as more sub-factions become involved.

Humanitarian Catastrophe for Civilians

The speaker frames the largest humanitarian challenge as a massive, worsening crisis affecting tens of millions (about 34 million needing urgent aid).

Key drivers include:

• Famine conditions persisting across multiple “acute hotspots” (14 mentioned), especially in Darfur and South Kordofan
• Near-total collapse of healthcare, with roughly 70% of hospitals/clinics in active war zones reported as out of service
• Funding shortages for aid agencies, leading to clinic closures and reduced capacity to deliver life-saving assistance

Drones Intensifying Harm and Expanding Strike Scope

The video argues that increased use of drones/UAVs has changed conflict dynamics, including:

• Long-range strikes contributing to a large share of documented civilian casualties in 2026 (over 80% stated)
• Attacks occurring in or near civilian-heavy areas, such as:
  • neighborhoods
  • markets
  • hospitals
  • displacement camps
• Strikes also targeting critical infrastructure (e.g., power, fuel, water systems), disrupting public services (example cited: El Obeid)

Hospital and Civilian Facility Attacks as Especially Concerning

The speaker links attacks on medical and civilian sites to the broader scale of displacement and suffering, emphasizing:

• The world’s largest displacement crisis: over 13 million displaced, including about 4.5 million refugees
• Severe risks to humanitarian delivery due to:
  • looting
  • shelling and aerial bombardments
  • bureaucratic access restrictions
  • seasonal flooding
• These factors are said to make aid delivery particularly difficult for hard-to-reach populations

Accountability and International Legal Pressure

The speaker highlights repeated UN and Human Rights Council condemnations of alleged violations by both SAF and RSF, including:

• Monitoring and documentation of alleged war crimes via UN fact-finding missions
• Continued calls for enforcement mechanisms, including through the International Criminal Court
• Calls for halts to attacks on non-combatants and essential infrastructure
• Restrictions/embargoes on external military supplies

Ceasefire Efforts and Obstacles

Mediation efforts are described as ongoing, involving:

• the United States
• Saudi Arabia
• the United Arab Emirates
• Egypt
• the African Union

Proposed approaches include:

• Localized humanitarian truces to enable safe aid corridors
• Steps toward civilian-led governance

However, the speaker argues that external military/financial backing to both sides undermines diplomatic pressure and delays unified international action.

Why a Lasting Ceasefire is Difficult

The main obstacle is described as a lack of political will from military leadership on both sides, driven by continued pursuit of battlefield advantage.

Additional factors include:

• Political fragmentation
• Proliferation of independent militias
• External regional interference

What is Needed for a Political Settlement

The speaker calls for:

• Both sides to engage directly, respect negotiations, and prioritize the country’s future over factional interests
• Adherence to UN rules
• Greater engagement by Arab League/Arab League institutions, with the argument that Sudan’s conflict affects the broader region

---

Presenters / Contributors

• Dr. Ibrahim Al Dakhawi — Counselor for Human Rights
• Dr Ibrahim Al Tahawy — referenced as the program/episode host; thanked at the end