The Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) Group continued its weekly virtual sessions on September 5, focusing on expanding emergency humanitarian access and ensuring respect for international humanitarian law. Last week, the ALPS efforts, along with the dedicated work of humanitarian actors on the ground, enabled the delivery of approximately 3,114 metric tons of supplies to nearly 300,000 people in Darfur. The ALPS delegation is actively engaging with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to expand road access from Port Sudan through Shendi to Khartoum and from Khartoum to El Obeid and Kosti, including routes through Sennar. The group is also advocating for additional border crossings to be opened, such as the Aweil crossing from South Sudan. The ALPS Group is urging the SAF to implement a simplified notification system and for the RSF to fully adopt it, to alleviate bureaucratic barriers that are costing Sudanese lives. With over 25 million people facing famine and acute hunger, streamlined notifications must allow humanitarian cargo to move freely within Sudan. The ALPS Group welcomed a new RSF directive on the protection of civilians and supports the pledge of accountability, while committing to closely monitor its implementation. The group identified several critical areas, including El Fasher, where immediate de-escalation of hostilities by the RSF and SAF is essential to ensure civilian protection and access to urgent relief, in line with commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration. The ALPS Group calls on the international community to pressure both sides to adhere to these commitments. Reiterating their shared commitment, ALPS Group members pledged to work with international partners to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people and strive toward a cessation of hostilities agreement. They also emphasized the importance of continued consultation with Sudanese women as part of the ALPS platform. — SG
