The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has issued a strong statement addressing the ongoing crisis in Sudan, condemning the escalation of violence and emphasizing the pressing need for a resolution. The statement comes amid the recent intensification of civil conflict that has been unfolding in stages since April 15, 2023, marking a new and dangerous phase of the conflict.
According to reports from Mid-East news agency The Media Line, the current hostilities were initiated by an attempted coup led by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which aimed to seize control of the government.
The site reported that in January 2025, the U.S. explicitly pronounced the current phase of the crisis in Darfur as a genocide.
Analyst Amgad Fareid, executive director at Fikra for Studies and Development and former chief of staff in the Sudanese Prime Minister’s Office, explained, “This war started by the RSF attempt of a coup to take power on the 15th of April 2023.”
The write-up shared that the root of the conflict lies in the planned integration of the RSF into the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), a key component of the country’s transitional peace process.
“And this coup attempt was aiming to avoid merging with SAF [the Sudanese Armed Forces] and ending the independent military presence and existence of the RSF, which will affect, of course, its economic and political influence,” added Fareid.
The integration was intended to unify the military but would have stripped the RSF of its autonomous command structure and its lucrative commercial networks, notably those linked to gold trade, asserts The Media Line.
The RSF’s initial move was to oppose this transition, prompting the SAF to resist, which ultimately spiraled into widespread violence. According to Faried: “So, Hemedti [RSF leader Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo] … tried this coup. When this coup failed, he took the country with him in this path of blood and terror.”
In response to the ongoing turmoil, CARICOM has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The community urges all involved parties to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law, emphasizing the protection of civilians and the importance of ensuring the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. The statement underscores the collective responsibility to prevent further bloodshed and to restore stability in Sudan.
“We stand firmly in solidarity with the people of Sudan and condemn in the strongest terms the widespread atrocities, including mass killings and systematic sexual violence against civilians, including those perpetrated during the recent conflict in El-Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias in Darfur. These abuses, including rape and abduction, violate international law, directly oppose the 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe. There can be no impunity for these crimes. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) supports the work of international investigative bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), to ensure all perpetrators are held accountable,” outlined CARICOM’s statement.
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Read full statement here:
The Council for Foreign and Community Relations of the Caribbean Community (COFCOR) is gravely alarmed by the escalating conflict, immense suffering, displacement, tragic loss of life, and dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
We stand firmly in solidarity with the people of Sudan and condemn in the strongest terms the widespread atrocities, including mass killings and systematic sexual violence against civilians, including those perpetrated during the recent conflict in El-Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias in Darfur. These abuses, including rape and abduction, violate international law, directly oppose the 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe. There can be no impunity for these crimes. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) supports the work of international investigative bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), to ensure all perpetrators are held accountable.
CARICOM calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. All parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, and ensure the safe, unhindered passage of humanitarian aid. The deliberate obstruction of relief, fuelling a man-made famine, constitutes a grave breach of international law and must cease immediately. We also urge all parties to respect the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Sudan.
We strongly urge the United Nations Security Council and the African Union to take concrete action. This must include the immediate enforcement of a comprehensive arms embargo and the redoubling of efforts to secure a sustainable, civilian-led political solution.