Improving Engagement: the International Community & Suanese Community-Led Responses

On February 28, 2024, AMEL convened an online international forum entitled “Rethinking International Engagement with Sudan Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs),” prompted by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan and AMEL’s commitment to filling critical gaps, especially at the intersection between the international community and African/Middle Eastern civil society.

The Forum centered on learning from examples of international entities supporting Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) and on identifying innovative steps that the international community can take toward more effective engagement with Sudan ERRs and other community-led responses. With an audience consisting of diverse international actors, and drawing upon the experiences of international organizations and Sudanese diaspora, the Forum aimed to facilitate solution-oriented discussions on how to increase international support to ERRs and similar groups (further background in the Forum Description).

The Forum was introduced and moderated by the AMEL Team and featured the following speakers:

1. Francesco Bonanome, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

2. Margo Derecktor, Emergency Protection Specialist for Sudan, Danish Refugee Council

3. Alsanosi Adam, Emergency Response Rooms External Communication

4. Abrar Alalim, Founding member & President of the Sustainable Development Response Organization-Sudan (SuDRO-Sudan)

5. Nada Fadul, Professor and Assistant Dean at the University of Nebraska Medical School & President of Sustainable Development Response Organization (SuDRO)

Nearly 125 registered for the forum and more than 70 attended, representing a wide array of international entities and Sudanese initiatives. Participants underlined the need for such convenings and welcomed AMEL’s efforts to develop practical tools and gatherings, including a follow-up session on March 21st.

To learn more and get engaged in this initiative, contact us: sudan@amelproject.org