One year of conflict in Sudan is taking a devastating human toll. Over 8 million people have been displaced, and tens of thousands have been killed or wounded. The acute shortages of essential resources such as food, water and fuel, along with a seriously degraded healthcare system, are just some of the terrible consequences of the fighting.

The Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) is at the forefront of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement’s efforts to ensure that Sudanese civilians receive the humanitarian protection and assistance they desperately need.

“We have mobilized 4,000 volunteers from across the country to provide first aid and help evacuate the wounded. Our staff and volunteers distribute food and essential items, provide psychological support, and search for the missing,” says Aida Al-Sayed Abdullah, Secretary-General of the SRCS. “We urge the international community to increase their support to help us meet the urgent needs of the communities trapped in the conflict. We cannot let Sudan become another forgotten crisis.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and nine participating national societies (Danish Red Cross, German Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, Qatar Red Crescent, Spanish Red Cross, Swedish Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross, and Turkish Red Crescent) have been supporting and working alongside SRCS to protect and support people affected by the ongoing conflict and natural disasters across the country.

SRCS, with its partners, has been pivotal in delivering essential medical aid to hospitals, offering relief to displaced people and their host communities, and reuniting families separated by turmoil—facilitating crucial phone conversations among separated family members. Through its key access across the country, SRCS has been able to provide the most needed support to thousands affected.

Beyond immediate assistance, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement contribution to the response extends to financial and material support to SRCS, alongside providing technical advice and strengthening capacity- building.

The IFRC launched a Federation-wide Emergency Appeal seeking 60 million Swiss Francs to support the SRCS business continuity as well as to scale up its life-saving humanitarian response in the country. The IFRC has also launched a Regional Population Movement seeking 42 million Swiss Francs to support humanitarian responses and activities of the National Societies in the neighboring countries of Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR), Ethiopia and Libya. 

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement calls on all state and non-state armed carriers involved in the conflict to follow their obligations under international humanitarian law, which is designed to protect ordinary people and those who can no longer fight. When homes, hospitals, and schools are damaged, and people who are not part of the fight are hurt, it not only causes immediate harm but also makes it much harder for communities to heal and come together after the conflict.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is committed to providing protection and life-saving relief to the people suffering the horrors of the ongoing conflict. It urges, however, that more funding is needed to sustain the SRCS operations in the year ahead.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The government is rolling out incentives to attract investors to the manufacturing sector, President William Ruto has said.

The President said the goal is to grow the country’s manufacturing sector to an ambitious 20 per cent of our GDP by 2030.

He pointed out that strategic investment in manufacturing will increase exports, create employment opportunities, boost economic activity using local resources and generate attractive returns for investors.

President Ruto said it is, therefore, unreasonable to provide duty and levy exemptions to importers of goods that can be produced locally.

“We shall focus our policies and strategy on encouraging increased local production, in line with the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” he added.

The President said Kenya must take advantage of the opportunities provided by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which has created a vast market for the country’s exports.

“We want to create ecosystems and avenues for us to target the export market. We want Kenya to move away from being a super market for other countries to being a manufacturer of our own goods for export,” he said.

President Ruto spoke during the commissioning of Cemtech Limited Clinker Plant in Sebit, West Pokot County.

West Pokot and Uasin Gishu Governors Simon Kachapin and Jonathan Bii, Cabinet Secretaries Rebecca Miano, Kipchumba Murkomen and Salim Mvurya, MPs and MCAs were present.

The President said the KSh45 billion plant will create hundreds of jobs and expand opportunities for entrepreneurs in the region.

“West Pokot County is about to experience an economic resurgence associated with the new factory, including higher wages, consumption and increased revenue,” he said.

He said local manufacturing of clinker and steel has saved the country foreign exchange to the tune of $500 million a year.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of President of the Republic of Kenya.