Majority parties urge immediate diplomatic action in Sudan: “Belgium must act now”

The federal majority parties are unanimously calling on the Belgian government to take urgent diplomatic action in Sudan. The Foreign Affairs Committee today approved a resolution urging Belgium to take a leading role on the international stage in addressing one of today’s most severe humanitarian crises.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a brutal civil war. The consequences are catastrophic: tens of thousands of civilians have died, millions have been displaced, and the country is being ravaged by famine and disease. Humanitarian access is systematically obstructed. Women and children are bearing the brunt of horrific human rights violations, with sexual violence being widely used as a weapon of war. UNICEF reports that a staggering 16.5 million children—around 80% of all children in Sudan—no longer have access to education.

For MP Kathleen Depoorter, enough is enough: “We cannot continue to look away. The humanitarian disaster unfolding in Sudan is vast and getting worse by the day. Belgium must step up, apply diplomatic pressure, ensure humanitarian access, and protect civilians.”

Urgent international action is essential

The recent violence in areas such as El-Fasher highlights, according to the majority parties, just how urgently international action is needed. The crisis is also destabilising the wider Horn of Africa and Sahel regions, where millions of refugees are arriving after fleeing terror in their home country.

Kathleen Depoorter stresses that Belgium’s diplomatic voice must now be heard loud and clear: “This is about lives we can save today. About women and children who are being systematically abused. About families who have lost all hope. Belgium must join international efforts to push for a ceasefire and secure safe humanitarian corridors.”

The majority parties are calling on the federal government to make the crisis in Sudan a top priority and to work swiftly, alongside European and international partners, on diplomatic mediation, humanitarian support, and the protection of the most vulnerable.

“The world cannot forget Sudan,” Depoorter concludes. “We have a duty to act—today, not tomorrow.”