Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has urged the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to take decisive action on the escalating crisis in Sudan, calling for an immediate ceasefire and targeted sanctions against those fuelling the conflict.

Also Watch: Ruto asks Sudan combatants to declare unconditional ceasefire

She issued the appeal during PAP’s Sixth Ordinary Session held on November 6, 2025, in Midrand, South Africa.

Passaris warned that the scale of suffering in Sudan demands urgent intervention.

“Silence or caution now would be total betrayal. Today, the Pan-African Parliament must move from speeches to stewardship, from sympathy to strategy,” she said.

Also Watch: The UN warns of possible ethnic conflict amid war in Sudan.

Humanitarian toll rising

Passaris framed the conflict not only as a political confrontation but as a humanitarian emergency. She noted that hospitals have been rendered non-operational, with some described as “cemeteries” due to widespread violence. She added that up to 25 million people across the region are at risk of famine as hostilities disrupt supply routes and humanitarian access.

The conflict, now in its third year, has displaced more than 10 million people. Recent reports indicate worsening violence, including the November 5 attack on a funeral gathering in El-Obeid, North Kordofan, where at least 40 civilians were killed.

Aid agencies have reported escalating sexual and gender-based violence, with Doctors Without Borders documenting more than 300 survivors seeking medical assistance following attacks on displacement camps.

Proposed steps for intervention

Passaris proposed three measures to guide the continent’s response. “Proposed three actionable measures: 1. Immediate humanitarian ceasefire and unhindered aid corridors. 2. Establish a parliamentary fact-finding mission to document atrocities and trace arms/illicit trade. 3. Urge the African Union to consider targeted sanctions against perpetrators profiting from conflict,” read the PAP X post.

First, she called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and secure corridors to enable aid delivery. Second, she urged PAP to dispatch a fact-finding mission to document violations and trace arms and illicit trade networks sustaining the conflict.

Third, she recommended that the African Union consider targeted sanctions against individuals and groups profiting from the war.

She emphasised that evidence-based action would help restore confidence in the continent’s ability to respond to crises. “Africa cannot look away from this,” she said.

Regional and international diplomacy

Her appeal comes as Kenyan President William Ruto and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held talks on November 6 focused on strengthening cooperation and supporting peace efforts in Sudan, Somalia, and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

“On peace and security in our region, especially in Somalia, Sudan, and Eastern DRC, we emphasised the urgency of ending the conflicts and the role Germany can play in this endeavour,” Ruto said.

Ruto welcomed Germany’s €45 million facility to expand Kenya’s energy sector and noted ongoing discussions on labour mobility.

International mediation involving the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE continues, although progress has been slowed by disagreements over transitional governance arrangements. The United Nations has warned that continued fighting risks further regional destabilisation.