The crisis in Sudan has harmed Ghanaian nationals; hence, the government of Ghana has indicated that preparations are being made to evacuate its citizens from Khartoum, Sudan, to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that the quick move was necessary because of the ongoing bloody fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been at war for the past week, resulting in hundreds of casualties and cutting off humanitarian aid to the capital of Khartoum and other parts of the country.
Students are among the most vulnerable Ghanaian nationals, according to a government press statement.
According to the statement, all Ghanaians in Sudan are safe at this time, and the Ghana Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, which has concurrent accreditation to Sudan, is coordinating closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the Honorary Consul in Sudan to ensure that all Ghanaians in Sudan are able to return to Ethiopia without harm.
“The Ghana Embassy in Cairo, Egypt which has concurrent accreditation to the Sudan, working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the Honorary Consulate are coordinating the evacuation of our nationals, and plans are currently underway to secure their safe passage to Ethiopia,” parts of the statement reads.
The government told the people at large, especially relatives and friends, that they would do everything they could to keep their loved ones safe until they arrived in Ghana.
“Government wishes to assure the general public, in particular, the families and acquaintances of Ghanaians in the Sudan that every effort is being made to ensure the safety of their loved ones until their arrival in Ghana.”
Read the full statement below
What is happening in Sudan
Khartoum and other towns in Sudan have erupted in violence as powerful competing military factions fight for control, raising the possibility of a full-scale civil war across the country. The root cause of the violence is a struggle for power. Tensions between the army and the formidable paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), had been building for weeks before fighting broke out on Saturday.
The conflict between the top two generals of Sudan erupted into war on April 15, pitting the East African nation’s military against the Rapid Support Forces, a state-sponsored militia. The military is using jet fighters to attack RSF positions, many of which are in densely populated areas, while both sides engage in gun and artillery street confrontations. Tens of thousands of Sudanese have left their homes, while millions remain trapped with limited food and water supplies. As of April 20, there had been nearly 330 fatalities and nearly 3,200 injuries.
