Transcripts For CSPAN3 State 20240704

So families can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. Comcast supports cspan as a public service, along with these other television providers. Give your front row seat to democracy. Officials from the state department and usaid testified about the ongoing conflict in sudan. They discussed diplomatic efforts to encourage peace, talks humanitarian aid and the evacuation of american citizens. Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee also questioned the witnesses about the conflicts impact on surrounding countries such as ethiopia and egypt. This is about 90 minutes. Hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will come to order. Since fighting erupted in sudan almost a month, ago ceasefires of demigod with no appreciable reduction in fighting. Alice has left the area in the capital thick with dust and smoke, food and water shortages have resulted in looting and attacks on citizens by armed groups in search of provisions. The former strongman head of state who is wanted by the International Criminal court for crimes against humanity as escaped from prison. The borders are overwhelmed with people trying to escape. Hundreds have been, killed thousands injured and hundreds of thousands displaced. One american doctor is staying to treat the wounded and a surrounded by a group of men and stabbed to death in front of his family. Sudan is not only descending into violent chaos, it is on the brink of a full zerosum civil war. And of the last civil war went on for more than two decades. I want to thank our witnesses for joining us today to discuss how we respond to the conflict in sudan. I welcome the long overdue executive order issued last week, with respect to sedan. We are all grateful to those who plan to carry out the nighttime rescue operations to evacuate more than 70 people working at our embassy, including ambassador godfreyd. Thankfully, all u. S. Government personnel escaped unharmed. As the private american citizens were left to fend for themselves on the violence broke out. To say nothing of millions of sudanese who now understandably feel abandoned by the International Community. I want to sit here and put the blame on the state department or the administration for a Foreign Policy failure that has been and years in the making. Failed negotiations on the transition to democracy were supported not only by us but by the African Union, 12 states in the United Nations. Numerous attempts to broker a ceasefire failed and the International Community and yet met a robust humanitarian response. Lets be, clear u. S. Policy fell short of the challenge. We refused to call a coup a coup after the sudanese military takeover in 2021. Instead of imposing sanctions, we put the democratic aspirations of millions of sudanese in the hands of generals despite evidence of their complicity and responsibility for gross violations of human rights and a significant public corruption. The citys armed forces have a long record of human rights abuses. And the Rapid Support forces best known to the world as that ginger wed committed genocide in darfur. The leader has been implicated and and massacres and has allied himself with the wagner group. They telling us selves that this would help them transition to a democracy, we neglected the need for democracy. They didnt push hard enough for those with guns the city needs aspirations. I would like to hear from our witnesses about u. S. Policy options to end the conflict. To rally the community and jumpstart humanitarian assistance. What steps the administration is taking to garner support for collective action to make sure that military leaders stand down and step aside. I realize that sometimes theres no good options but hope is not a Foreign Policy strategy. We need to understand how our analysis was so flawed that Estate Department failed to stem its staff or american citizens to depart before the violence began. The United States cannot be blindsided by this, i want to know what is being done to prevent this in the future. I realize that if the views of some ends up being the reality, our ability to prepare for what were seeing in today and will be dramatically affected because of the potential cuts that are being talked about in discretionary domestic spending. We think we do is discretionary spending. I dont know how are going to get it better with less. Undersecretary nuland, and like to hear about our short, medium and long term goals in sudan in the horn of africa. So as the strategy for achieving done at weve no diplomatic presence on the ground accident. Mr. , charles convict the emerging humanitarian, catastrophe we need to plan to deliver assistance as quickly as possible to the people of sudan to empower Civil Society, forces have vacating against all odds at great personal cost for democracy. Millions of lives incident in the horn of africa are at stake, as are our strategic interest in the horn of africa into the red sea quarter. We need to put the democratic transition back on track in sudan. , with that let me turn to the Ranking Member, senator risch chris opening statement. Thank, you mister chairman. That would continue, remarks i think you are a little kinder than im going to be even in the last we have the situation. This is not a happy occasion, its disappointing were here today having this hearing. Humanitarian and security catastrophe playing incident was predictable. This committee has tried to ensure student had the highest levels of protection from the state department. Sadly, that hasnt happened. I concur with the chairman that this is not an easy situation. Its no question that things are difficult there we dont have the luxury of dealing with the easy ones. Nor should have been done to protect the sudanese people from the military. We shouldve done more to warn american citizens and diplomatic footprint to respond to the scenario that we all saw unfold. Weve seen this movie before. Incident faces a potentially catastrophic civil war, state collapse like those weve seen in syria and olivia, urgent leadership by the United States and its allies is required. Certainly the state department is on the frontline of this. No one should be surprised at those involved in the beshears teams genocide 20 years ago refused to relinquish power. The United States continues to partner with the same authoritarian actors in the region that bargained away students democratic future in order to secure their own interests. Even now, when we hope great efforts and saudi arabia healed real humanitarian ceasefire. We must all be very honest with ourselves about the motivation of some of our regional actors. The four years since they removed Omar Albashir from power, and of hope towards corrupt military leaders on their foreign backers has affected u. S. Foreign policy incident. This approach has empowered surgeons strongman well victimizing the sudanese people and undermining the countrys democratic future. The biden ministration has sanctioned only one sudanese entity under global mick nipsey. President biden issued the order last week, no initiations with the announcement. Very disappointing. The u. S. Is also now put its best diplomatic before to deal with the problem. We did not name and ambassadors to sudan for more than two years after normalizing relations during a critical time incidents transition. U. S. Embassy in khartoum has also faced precedent understaffing and leadership challenges. Congress has booked in a bipartisan manner with an unmistakable voice on student through at the post beshear transition. But the sudanese people first it and the stranglehold of speed and Security Forces on the country. This administration, however doesnt seem to be listening. During her last sudan hearing 15 months, ago i called to the administration to articulate a clear vision for what it once in sudan. Im still waiting. The Administration Must change not only the architecture but also the architects of this policy. We need a policy that empowers the sudanese people. We can cisgender, cuts off the foreign meddling and empowers them. And with the coalition towards putting incidents democratic future first. From us and the cycle of doing the same thing and expect again different outcome. I look for to hearing from our Witnesses Today just as the chairman indicated that how the administration plans to meet immediate needs in sudan and make an urgent course correction in its suit and policy. Before i close, have your best and i want to express my deep disappointment for your failure to respond to my many of my colleagues questions for the record in a timely manner. When we last testified before this committee, it was january 26th. , then after that hearing, as usual, questions for the record were submitted because we have limited time in the hearing. That was over 100 days ago. I received answers to those questions for the record. Do you know when . The delay in responding to these questions underscores serious doubts in my mind that the state department puts any value on communication with congress and holds no respect for this committees oversight rule. Some of the questions i submitted to you were about sudan. Now, we get an answer over 100 days later and the day before the next hearing on the subject, i really feel bad at this demonstrates that the department is just going through the motions to mullah faye this committee and keeping us in the dark. A specter if meaningful explanation of why these questions for the record took over 100 days to complete. Thank you. Thank you very much, senator. Their Witnesses Today are ambassador victoria nuland, miss sarah charles, from usaid experience. Nuland its a 33 year career as a, diplomat rejoining the department as undersecretary for Political Affairs in april of 2021. I want to go through all of that history, plus a face to say its an incredible career. Sir charles assisted to be administrator of usaid and in charge of the bureau for humanitarian affairs. This government lead for International Visitors bonds. Before joining the bureau, she was in your policy director for advocacy at the International Rescue committee and has worked with the National Security council as director of humanitarian affairs. We thank you both for your participation and your service to the country. I would ask you to summarize your put statements in about five, minutes full statements will be included in the record. Without objection, ambassador nuland, well start with you. Thank, you chairman menendez, Ranking Member risch, distinguished members of this committee. We appreciate the opportunity to be with you and exchange views on such a consequential moment for sudan, the Third Largest nation on the african continent. Sudan holds enormous promise an opportunity. It should be a thriving bread basket for its people, the region and the world. Instead, it has been plagued, as you both noted, by decades of authoritarianism, economic turmoil and a civil war. In 20, 19 decision needs people longing for a different future led a peaceful protest movement that ended the 30year reign of a dictator. Only to endure a military takeover two years later. I engagements since have focused on restoring the promise of restoring that 2019 revolution and supporting it civilianled transition to democracy and civilian rule. We worked over the past 18 months for civilian partners in sudan to build a coalition to lead this effort while simultaneously putting pressure on students generals to engage seriously in a political process. Despite the greatest effort by sudanese civilian leaders and intensive engagement by International Actors which did yield considerable progress since last fall on elements of their own a framework for a political agreement, those negotiations, as you know, broke down over the unwillingness of the two military leaders to resolve the last issue, which stayed in the way of a return to democracy. Namely and the Rapid Support forces and the Sudanese Armed forces would integrate a unified command structure. Eiffel 15th, we saw months of progress a raised overnight. You see the images, 100 in pillaging, looting, Armed Conflict across the city. Food, water, medicine, electricity, telecommute off. Hundreds of thousands of families displaced or fleeing their home. Their priority, as you noted, whats the safety of our people. Over seven days, we consolidated all u. S. Personnel at the Embassy Compound where our military then bravely extracted them via helicopter on april 23rd to ethiopia and onward to djibouti. Then, with the help of partners, british, french and saudis, we organize three overlap convoys from khartoum to port sudan, transporting more than 700 people and hundreds of our own people also boarded allied and partnered flights. In total, we facilitated the departure of 2000 people, including 1300 u. S. Citizens and family members along with u. S. Lpr, locally employed staff and nationals from other allied and partnered countries. From the as, we have also worked to silence the guns. Secretary, blinken assistant secretary molly ce, our ambassador to sedan, then he got freed and teams across the department have been tirelessly engaged, first to secretary blinkens intense personal effort. We secured six sequential short term ceasefires, which have lessened the findings and allow these evacuations in some initial movement of humanitarian aid. And then working intensively with saudi arabia and other partners we began on sunday these pre negotiations with the warring parties. To date, the secretary is made seven separate calls to general burr hahn and hemeti to try to silence the guns, jumpstart diplomacy and get talks going. He has also been in touch with African Union chair person sake and leaders across the region in europe. As you know, for the last three days, starting on sunday evening, assistant secretary see and it lead the u. S. Delegation to these emergency prenegotiations that began in jeddah. Her goals for these talks have been very narrowly focused. First, securing agreement on a declaration of humanitarian principles. And then getting a ceasefire that is long enough to facilitate this steady delivery of badly needed services. The stage is successful, and i try to negotiate is this morning where clump cautiously optimistic, who had been enable expanded talks with local, Regional International stakeholders towards a permanent cessation of hostilities. And and a return to civilianled rule as the sudanese people have demanded for years. We do our prayers continue to make clear to the warring parties led by these two generals that they could be no military solution to this crisis. Negotiations are the only way forward. Weve also made clear, as you said, chairman, to president bidens may 4th executive order to authorize future sanctions. Be responsible for holding students future to account. In opportunities reinforce a consistent message from the rest of the world is watching, the fighting has to step it will hold those responsible to account. Meanwhile, we appreciate saudi arabias role hosting these talks and will continue to work with our regional partners on. The sudan quad that includes the uk. To bring this conflict to the end. Mister chairman, if i could, mr. Ranking member, in this context, thank you for passing heard ambassador designate Stephanie Sullivan for the African Union to this committee and our support and help getting her confirmed on the fall floor. Despite the many, setbacks we will continue to stand with the sudanese people and their demands for a peaceful and democratic future. They deserve better, i think you, look forward to listening to your questions. Making gibberish, you are absolutely right, this question should not have taken 100 days. Its on, me it will not happen again. I apologize. Miss charles . Truman menendez, Ranking Member risch, distinguished chairman menendez, Ranking Member risch, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today about the unfolding military crisis in sudan the u. S. Governments response. Its been less than one month since the hostilities between the Sudanese Armed forces in the Rapid Support forces erupted. But the impact on the people of sudan has already been devastating. Ongoing violence has led to the death of hundreds of injuries to that sense destruction of Critical Infrastructure and disruption basic services. Tax against humanitarian staff in the leading of humanitarian assets for so many of our partners to temporarily suspend hundreds of lifesaving programs and relocate their staff, impacting millions of people who relied on these programs to meet basic needs. Before the, conflict almost 60 Million People in sudan, more than one third of the population, required communiter in assistance. We do not yet know the full extent to which humanitarian conditions have worsened since april 15th, but there are early reports that are grim. An estimated 70 of hospitals across conflict affected areas are not operational. With 3 million women and girls at risk of gender based violence. With the 19 Million People in our latest analysis could be food insecure in the next three months of fighting continues. The 700,000 people have been internally displaced more than 120,000 people have crossed into neighboring countries, we need the ramifications of this conflict or not end at sudans borders. They stretch into the, region companion exist humanitarian needs across several countries. The United States is a Larger Center of humanitarian assistance to sudan. All the operating context has, changed commitment to providing assistance to the people of sudan and has not. We have 20, third summit the power announced the deployment of a Disaster Assistance Response Team or a dart to the region to lead and coordinate the governments humanitarian response. Some programs are temporarily suspended, as of yesterday, 19 of our longstanding partners was Strong National networks continue to operate. Well be with limited capacity and dwindling free position supplies. Since the beginning of the conflict, national, staff neighboring committees and other Civil Society organizations have shown tremendous bravery, responding to the needs of our Community Amid incredible risk and uncertainty. One of our next has been dispatching a network of midwives across khartoum, amid emergencies into supporting birth mid air strikes, gunfire and rubble. Its been too dangerous for pregnant women to travel to any of the few operational hospitals. We are in commitment to the sudanese people helped save lives and bring new life to the world in otherwise grim circumstances. Theres been incremental progress, the insecure operating environment, lack of access, limited supply levels, sufficiency of cash, electricity and teleproblems we coming weeks. Looking forward and working closely with partners now to address humanitarian needs. Were working with partners now to use existing programs distinguishes from preprogram where conditions allow. Were working with our partners at the department of state and United Nations to advocate for jeddah and elsewhere for the conditions that allow for the scaling up of humanitarian operations. We Overland Routes and neighbor bridges from neighboring countries. Also asking Government Entities and sudan and other countries to decrease barriers that affect organizations ability to respond to the crisis at scale. For example, by expediting customs, procedures visa waivers for workers and waiving requirements issued by the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission to fasttrack humanitarian activities. For many, or is the hac its affected lifesaving assistance in sudan. This was agree just before it all but more so now. Amid ongoing attacks on aid workers and assets, including the one that chairman menendez just mentioned, we remain focused on the safety and security of our humanitarian partners. Today, fighting has resulted in the tragic death of at least six u. S. Aid partner staff and injuries to others. In conclusion, this conflict is the culmination of decades of impunity for crimes committed across sudan. Impunity that is affected our own staff, when the murder of u. S. Aid employees, jon randall and her killed in khartoum in 2008 was released from prison in january. Cities people have been demanding an end to injustice and impunity for decades and we stand with them. The humanitarian crisis and sudan will continue to deteriorate if humanitarian access into the delivery of assistance to millions of Vulnerable People continues to be limited by the ongoing conflict and the actions of the parties. They seeking resolution to the conflict and commitments to the parties involved to uphold humanitarian principles, we can scale up lifesaving programs across sudan. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify and it would for it to your questions. Thank you both for your testimony. Well start a series of fiveminute rounds. Madam, secretary let me preface what im about to say by saying, youve got a big portfolio umbrella. So the issues that were going to be discussing here are more specific to your colleague, assistant secretary for african affairs. I get it. But since youre the representative of the state department here, ill take my questions in that spirit, so, there have been published reports that highly critical of the administrations sudan policy. Among the things that it says is that there was memos written and circulated within the state Departments Bureau of african affairs, warning of the risk of current u. S. Policy and sudan and lifting potential scenarios that could emerge from the rivalry between alburhan and hemedti, including full scale conflict. Theyre heavily redacted i never got to the secretarys desk. Its been noted that alburhan and hemedti were amassing forces around khartoum into that, at lower levels, statements were being made about the reality to a real challenge of the possibility of conflict breaking out. Is talk about, from several dozen both officials and advocates, sudanese activists, who described it deeply flawed u. S. Policy process in brokering talks in sudan in the run up to the conflict. Monopolized by a select few officials who shoved the rest of the Inter Agency Team out of deliberations and quieted a chorus of descent over the direction of u. S. Sudan policy. Goes on to, say from the outset, there is a contested willful and dismissal of views that question whether iran talks would be a recipe for success or failure. Those warnings were ignored and instead the is built a quote dream palace of the political process that has now crashed down on the people of sudan. I have noted on several occasions that assistant secretary of state feel seems to have a versions to state sanctions as any trouble for any purpose. Thats a problem because i dont know how you induce two entities act like this when youd have, i dont know what to offer at the end of the day, what consequences they face. Civil society seems to be cut out and disillusion activists have lost faith in the United States. That is all bad news, not a bushes responded to in any of the testimony that weve heard today. Can you take a minute or so to talk to me about all of that . Thank, you mister chairman. Let me start by saying that when the leader was thrown out, in october of 2021, we did institute harsh penalties against sudan, which were controversial internally given how strong they were. If you recall, after that move, we designated the Central Reserve police. We also suspended all bilateral aid and debt relief. And if you support, is questions about whether that is right thing to do, because some of that has implications for the sudanese people. But the goal of those moves, which are made on the secretarys watch and administrations watch for to shock the parties into getting serious about a broad framework for transition. Thereafter, we supported the sudanese own framework that emerged. Which was led by the civilians largely. You could ask the question of whether there is a broad enough community of civilians involved, but this was a process designed by the sudanese themselves. It is steadily used pressure on the generals and the parties to try to work through all of the issues getting back to a transition. As i said to you, yes, we saw that generals keeping their own options open. They did not put all of their forces into however, that structure did work through many of the issues preparatory to return to civilian rule. We are left with one issue, which was whether these two generals would integrate their forces. If you can have more than one army in a country at a time. There was incredible effort made, including by the secretary himself, to offer options for the two of them. Had these forces could be integrated various different ways. Not just by us but by the African Union, by our partners. Because i, said unfortunately, they chose the path of war. Not the path of integration. It varies points during these, talks since october and onward, weve seen tensions spike between these two generals. And every Previous Play with our partners, with sudanese who billions, or able to tamp things down and get them back to the table. As not successful on april 15th that said. Defensive period, theyve been warning american citizens not to travel to sudan. We have been strengthening our own internal procedures and should things get violent again. It is a tragedy, yet again. We get this process restarted . Well see. Will be the same process . No, it will have to be broader, but thats where we are. When a close by simply saying, seems to me that we need have a process. Number one, that uses our intelligence and to the bureau and the state department is pretty good. Theyve been on the mark sometimes better than some of our other intelligence agencies. We need to read to tied already, team how we might refer, it some of our presumptions. You cant work under everything thats going to be the register thing and then hope that it will turn out that way. Some hard work on the, let us not have other availabilities to think through, what is a process of consequences it doesnt work out and you aspire for it to . Im deeply concerned that we do that and more than one occasion and we find ourselves with the consequences of not doing so. And they got incredibly important for the department to internalize and think about. Because im deeply concerned about the information that exists. I know i used to deal with senator as he was trying to find a pathway forward in eisenstat to can care of the victims of terrorism. Sanctions and in approving the ability to get if they are there a way. But you know, but for it i dont think we wouldve taken care of those victims. Senator risch . Thank, you mister chairman. Madam secretary, i know you think the chairmans statements were kind of harsh. I cant assure you theres worse stuff out there than that that you have probably read yourself. Let me, say i do understand, i think everybody understands. This is a very difficult situation. I think it needs more attention than what its getting. This, morning Foreign Policy published an article called, how the events fumbled swedens hopes for democracy, by robbie crime or, have you had a chance to review that . I have, Ranking Member. Its a chairman, id like to submit that for the record, please. I think its a good discussion of the issues and the problems and how we got here. To be honest with you, i dont see how we move forward with the Current Situation the way it is in sudan, two warring generals. Lets you that is not a full blown civil war at this point but history tells us whats going to happen. Its great a move towards a full blown civil war. The courts that countries in difficult enough straits. Let me ask this, first of all, african portfolio is a tough portfolio. Theres no question about that. What kinds of stuff thats got to be done. As you know, ive done stuff that is focused on that and theyre trying to work with you as much as you will permit. But this is an area that we have been focused on for sometime. Its just not working. So, i guess the question i would have for you is, have you got give me some hope here. I think city down with the two generals again, as weve done a number of times, we all look back to the tent that are invoice sat down with them and they promised nothing was going to happen on the airplane on the way back they fanned out there conducting the coup. This just seems to me like weve got to do things different than what were doing. We somehow hear, what are your thoughts about a Bigger Movement outside of the box than what were talking about . Sitting down, saying we get to be good guys . Oh yeah, will be good guys. Then away we go. Give me some hope. Thank, you Ranking Member. First of all, we cant get anything done in sudan. We cant even restore a process in which the are participating until the violence stops and we get some aid in. So, thats why these attacks a narrowly scoped. We have to work because, with the guns, the fact that both of them sent delegations, that was not easy to get done either. And we are, as i, said cautious optimistic that this first installment on getting humanitarian support in allow us to get going in the coming days. , then the ceasefire has to be more durable. If the sanctions tools now that can allow us to continue to pressure them. Frankly, we agree that we are going to have to have a broader process thats going to have to include more sudanese bases. Any population that is either largely displaced or hiding in their houses, women have to get enough piece to do that. This meeting these people at the bravest at the strongest voices in this. They dont want to live this way any further. I would say, that under ambassador godfrey did with the support of assisted secretary phee, we have far broader connectivity and connections with voices throughout society who need to be a part of this. If it from the talks in jeddah, ambassador godfrey testing in contact with cdc billions about how we would move forward, make this tent bigger, support them with international mississippians as well as carrots and sticks we can get there. I want to go back, if i may, chairman, to somebody said about the africa bureau. I oversee the africa bureau, i take responsibility for this as well for secretary blinken. The student policy has been very difficult. I would say the debate within the bureau, the debate within the building, the debate within the interagency which participated in has been robust and difficult. Weve never taken any options on the table but we were, as i said, believing that this framework does hedonism styles before it was making progress. It made the sanctions at the ready if it wasnt. And then we had this choice by that general. I just want you to know that this is the secretary supports rigorous debate inside the building. I support that as well and, frankly, had all of a through this crisis. Well be underscore that you will continue to as you, know he cares deeply about this one it is regularly bringing people up to hear different views, including through the dissent channel. Secretary, you yourself and the chairman underscored, and i did too, about all the problems in africa and the difficulty there. That he consideration been given to getting an invoice or somebody who specifically focused on sudan . We had the, before we all know that the ambassador was out of the country when the last blow up happened. It seems to me, it needs more attention, more individual attention. As you noted, youve got a whole lot underplayed and sort of the other people that are working at the africa desk. What are your thoughts on that . We are obviously looking at all the options as things move forward. But ambassador godfrey its central to all of this. Until we can get him back to sudan, he will continue to work both on that sudan internal conversation and, as i said, he is in contact with a broad Cross Section of folks on the ground. But hes also likely to play stronger role in some of the regional diplomacy and global diplomacy that we need on sudan. That were thinking about it at the moment. , now our envoy for the horn, ambassador hammer, has been focused primarily on ethiopia. Play a reinforcing role as necessary out, this which is within his mandate. Thank, you my time is up, and we have some questions for the record. I hope i dont have to wait until the leaves turn answer on that. Thank you. Thank you, just a comment. You mentioned Civil Society. Civil society doesnt feel like theyre in this. As a matter, fact they feel like the two generals have dictated that they have to be out in order for them to talk. Thats fundamentally wrong. Senator, cardin . First, let me thank you for your service. I want to follow up, first, a point about our capacity here. The Cartoon Mission has always been characterized as historically difficult. One of the challenges that weve had is do we have adequate personnel in our mission in order to deal with these challenges. I want to talk about, generally, not necessarily today but we really do need to figure out how we can staff these Challenging Missions with adequate resources to have the force now we need to avoid conflicts. I want to talk about the americans who are still in sudan. We understand that we were able to get those serving in our Mission Safely out of sudan but there are many other americans who are incident today. Do we have an estimate of the number . Its particularly those interested in leaving sudan . The circumstances there are certainly anything but certain i asked you what is going to happen as far as safety. What is our game plan on helping americans . Senator, when the conflict began on april 16th we had connectivity with about 5000 americans who had registered with us in one form or another. That enabled us to push messages, i think, 12 times so far. About various options for leaving the country. Traveling on flights with allies or this overland convoy which is what resulted in our being able to get about 1300 of them out. We are in contact with a number of them who are continuing to weigh their options. As we have americans who are more ready now than they were at the time than we were doing these overland convoys to get out, we are giving them advice on various ways that they can do that. Roots that are considered more safe. We need to have something critical mass, a larger number that want to come out. We would look again at other options. At the moment, our sense is that the majority of americans who have stayed in sudan, have stayed for either reasons of family, work, or history. We are in contact with a large number of them. Do we have an estimate as to how Many Americans are interested in leaving sudan that are still there today . I asked a question about folks yesterday they felt quite comfortable that as we were getting into small handfuls, people making the decision now to come out who didnt want to come out of week or two ago. They are able to accommodate them on transit. And that situation changes every day as people evaluate their personal situation. We will stay in touch. Notifications that youre talking about, can you explain what notifications were giving to americans . I guess, after, april 16th . After first of all the predicate that the travel guidance had been since october 21 has been you should not travel to sedan. If you do travel to sedan you should register with the embassy. 5000 americans registered with the embassy as i said. That enabled us in a much more modern and efficient way to send over 12 messages to them in the past two weeks. Offering them various options. Text, whats app, email. We use the Contact Information that they give us. The Registration Form that we are now using asks for multiple ways to contact, including family at home. Which has led us to be more complete this time than we might have been in the past. It sounds like you are somewhat confident that we can get information to those who want to leave sudan as to the opportunities that are available on different options that you are in contact. Is that fair to say . That is absolutely right. Frankly, we invite any of you who are hearing from constituents, instead, or about people we have been captured by our system, please send them our way. How confident in this, about us being able to get humanitarian assistance into sudan . You mentioned the midwives. Do we have a network that is reliable to try to get help in . Currently, 19 of our 33 preexisting humanitarian partners are operational in some capacity. Albeit at a much more olympic capacity than they were. We have a lot of supplies flowing into port sudan right now. Including more than 30,000 metric tons of u. S. Commodities that are anchored in the suez right now. One of the key elements of those talks in general right now or the security arrangements that would allow those supplies to come in, comment at scale, and be distributed in a way that is more reliable. Even right now we are working with our partners unauthorized our partners to use preexisting stock in country to respond where they can. Thank you. Senator ricketts . Thank you very much, mister chairman. Thank you, ambassador, for being here. I want to talk about the americans that were in sudan, as well. Help me understand. It seems to me that, once, again the Biden Administration was caught flatfooted by the events that were similar to afghanistan. This changed in a way that you did not anticipate. What were the steps that were taken . What plans are in place to be able to help americans . If i understand correctly, the fighting started on april 15th. You evacuated our embassy on the 22nd. The Overland Route didnt start until april 28th 29th in that area. Tell me, help me. Britain evacuated 1573 people by air. France and germany, over 1700 people by air. Additionally, we were told that the security situation made it too dangerous to be able to evacuate. Americans. Other americans were evacuating their people. Davies later, youre organizing a ground convoy instead of an air convoy. Did you not do Contingency Planning with regard to this . Why did it take so long to be able to start evacuating the americans now . Thank you senator ricketts. And all those working on this committee. Let me break it down in time and space. As i said, first of all, we had in place a broad system that captured about 5000 americans that we were able to push measures to them. We unofficially for those americans who could get to the airport because one of the reasons we did our Embassy Evacuation at the Embassy Grounds was in those days between the u. S. Evacuation, by helicopter, and our allies. Beginning to fly into the airport. The airport was too dangerous. By the time the airport was more safe, and i can talk to you in another setting about how that was enabled, with u. S. Support and help, we were able to put americans who were able to get to the airport on allied flights. Uk, germans, others, began taking americans who could get to the airport. A number of them still could not do that. Which is why we determined and arranging an alternate route, overland, would provide another option. Not only for our citizens, but for other countries. As our allies began flying, enabled by us, we also provided the second route for those we could not get to the airport. 700 overland, by the land convoy. In total, 1300 americans. Some of them who took the allied flights. Some of them took our land route. What i hear you saying, correct me if im wrong, the news reports saying that while other nations, like france, britain, germany, were able to evacuate doses by air, the United States coordinated with them to evacuate people by air . We will take the overland out. The media was really misstating what was going on . They had a plan. They would do the air, we would do the overland . The reports that iran made it seems like the United States had no plan to evacuate people by air. That we did this Overland Route that on april 28th and 29th, almost two weeks out of the fighting started. Is that accurate . You were the media got it all wrong. What is going on here is america took the overland row. The other allies took americans out over air . Is that we are saying . It was a division of labor, as i may say. When the airports were doing the flying. Americans were going on those flights if they could get to the airport. We were doing the land around. Other how Many Americans went out on those flights . If you do the math, 1300 americans out. 700 whereby, more americans got out on allied flights, i think, think got on the land route. The mathlete. That probably 700 americans got out on allied flights. We are grateful to them for that. With this a plan in place prior to april 14th . Working with the allied nations . You had that as the general start of fighting . Here is what we are going to do to evacuate americans . We do continual planning with our allies and partners. Largely based at our military commands. So we can do a classified briefing for you of that would be helpful. All time posts and various contingencies. With regard to this decision with the division of labor, it had to do with various concerns about who was best position to do what at the time. It was negotiated, and arranged, in realtime. In djibouti as well as with our allies. Thank you, ambassador. Mister chairman, thank. You senator. Thank you chairman. Does Ranking Member. Thank you for the committees full attention for this difficult, virgin, challenge. The administrator charles, thank you for your testimony and your focus on this. A vast country the size of alaska with 45 Million People. Teetering on the brink of an all out civil war. We could be on the verge of a dramatic, large, scale humanitarian crisis. Or, we could depending on the outcome of these tense preliminary negotiations see it turning back towards some hope for stability. You know, i worked hard with other members of this committee. Senator van hollen and i went to khartoum to meet with the civilianled government, to urge general heard hot and others to continue supporting a transition with the civilian government. Subsequent carew and then a very difficult period of negotiation has left us in a place of real difficult desperation. We cannot allow the civilian leadership of the groups that led a brave uprising that overthrew beshear to be shoved aside. I appreciate, undersecretary, your early comment that we need a broader process. We need to implement a president s executive order. How managed and how we will do both of these. How do we engage the civilian leadership and empower them at the next step of this process. Would you welcome legislative action here to give you more tools to target individual sanctions . I respect that the administration took tough actions in terms of suspending bilateral aid. And debt relief. I think that are the real impact on leaders. There are critics who say that in the absence of targeted individual sanctions, there is a continuation of a sense of impunity. In some ways coming from omar beshear never being successfully prosecuted by the icc. Decades of widespread corruption and oppression. I introduce the sudan democracy act of last year. Reflecting the urgent need to hold these military leaders accountable. Would you support legislation at this point . Or, welcome Additional Support for sanction . That we brought in this process . Senator coons, let me first start by thanking you for year indefatigable personable policy on our hardest willingness with senator van hollen to roll up this even get to today. And talking to the generals. It makes a difference. We appreciate the partnership that we have on that. Let me say that we have got to get to a situation where we can engage the civilians, again. Can we do that . Do we have to wait so we can do that from khartoum . Can we begin assuming we can do the most urgent, getting the humanitarian aid in. Silence or less in the guns. Can we start to do this in a more 24 century way . Video meetings, and center. I think that remains to be seen. I said at the beginning that ambassador godfrey it is trying to cast, even though the worker talks in jeddah, as wide of a nut. Seeing to what people want. This has to be a process that is broadly representative of the desires of the people of sudan. The 2019 revolution. We welcome that. We are doing the work. We have done it, already. Now that we have the executive order, we have the work to look at appropriate targets in various categories. Particularly if we allow the humanitarian aid in, get them to put their guns down. In regard to legislation, let me get a little bit more information from our negotiators after this round is over. We will look forward to your prompt input. I understand. In this moment, focusing on the commanders of these two armed forces that are battling it out, literally, across khartoum but we have to be able to find a way to include in this conversation not just regional actors but the sudanese people themselves. Theyre legitimate leaders, if im i. I just a few moments assisted with the administrator, charles. Do you have the resources that you need . I am concerned about the looting of humanitarian store houses. About the deaths of humanitarian workers. Many of your workers, our partners, are still willing to take on this very dangerous duty. What Additional Resources and support you need . Are we doing enough to ask our regional and Global Partners to also be engaged, given the scale of the humanitarian need, and other crises around the region in the world . Many competing needs right now around the globe. Our ability to sustain a robust response in sudan will be very challenging. Sudan was one of the most Vulnerable Countries to war from ukraine because of how dependent it was on wheat in ports. We are already trying to scale up our systems today. And it would already gonna be hard to sustain that this year. We are definitely pressing other donors. We just saw the saudis announce moderately dollars last week. We want to see that delivered to partners that can actually deliver on the ground. Thank you, senator packet . Thank you, mister chairman. I want to touch on something that has been quite disturbing to me. On january 20th, 2021, this administration was presented with a great opportunity. Sudan had just become party to the abraham awards. The Abraham Accords presented an opportunity to present a new economy in sudan. There was an opportunity there to expand the Economic Opportunities with the people today and into stabilize the region. For months, the Biden Administration would not even refer to the term, or use the term, Abraham Accords. On may, 2021, may 18th 2021, White House Press secretary jen psaki demonstrated the contempt that the white house had for the abraham reports. They told reporters the following and i want to quote. This aside from putting together a peace proposal that was dead on arrival we do not think they, meaning the prior administration, did i think director to put a long and the conflict in the middle east. I sent president bad in the letter on may 19th in 2021. I asked him to confirm if he supported the Abraham Accords. Mister chairman, i would like to present this letter for the record. Thank you, mister chairman. What is worse . We recently saw china advance what i would call in anti Abraham Accords deal. You had the chief diplomat of china negotiate a deal in the middle east between saudi arabia and its adversary, iran. What i wouldve much preferred to see was our own secretary of state negotiating india between saudi arabia and israel, furthering the Abraham Accords. I think we missed a huge opportunity. Lets turn to the american citizens in sudan right now. So far, ambassador newlin, at least two american citizens have already been killed. The Intelligence Community assesses that the conflict is likely to be protracted. They are saying there is little prospect for negotiation. Senator cardin i just sent a private letter to secretary blinken urging the department to take all necessary steps all americans remaining incident specifically as the situation deteriorates. I would like to go back to the conversation you had with senator work its just a moment ago. When i served as u. S. Ambassador to japan, and i worked very clearly with the foremost with the responsibility and security of the american citizens across the nation. Where i was concerned, as ambassador there, i worked very closely with both civilian and military leaders to revise, update the plans i needed to be in a position to evacuate over 60,000 american citizens should the need arise. Senator newlin, under what conditions with the Biden Administration implement the plan to evacuate in sedan to bring the remaining american citizens home that are in sudan . Senator hagerty, just when we talked about this a little bit before you are able to join us. We had, in total, 5000 americans registered with the embassy. We wore a bowl, throughout this conflict, to push repeated messages to them. Requesting information about who want to leave. About half of them left on allied aircraft. The other half, we wanted to go, some 1300 total, left on Ground Transport that we organized. We are in touch on a weekly basis, daily basis, for a variety of reasons that you know well. Makes families, lives built in sudan. I heard that conversation with some derrick. Its what im asking is, specifically, is that communication, is this process, as part of the neoplan . That design . You have the neoplan in place . Of course. Are you prepared exercise that land further . Do you have the available resources in the capabilities to do that if it is necessary to go out to get the remaining american citizens out . Me, who have a desire to leave. As we evaluate the options for americans, we are getting americans out who want to go. If there is a critical mass, we will evaluate whether we need to do more. I think it is critical that we be prepared to execute. This after what happened in afghanistan, i think the American People were shocked. We do not want to see another failure like this. In my office we are hearing a great deal of concerns about the american citizens were left behind. Senator, i would invite you if you have particular americans you may be concerned about, please send them our way. We will work with them. Thank you. Thank you, mister. Chairman senator van hollen . Thank you, mister chairman. Madam undersecretary. Great to see you. It is great to have you and our key representatives here today. Thank you for your efforts. Both to provide muchneeded humanitarian assistance, as well as trying to make the ceasefire holds that we can build on that. I do want to start by thanking you and your colleagues from the state department. Assistant secretary, molly fee, as well as the folks at the Affairs Division to help get americans out who wanted to get out. Every maryland or who has contacted our office who wanted to exit sudan. Or, how the relatives get out of sudan. Including an 89yearold who escaped to the egyptian border crossing. I want to thank you. Everything we have heard from have been listened to. Has had their needs met. Let me just turn to the current state of the ceasefire negotiations. If you could talk a little bit more about the role of the uae and saudi arabia here. I understand that senator referenced a trip that we took to sudan in 2021. We met with many of these players. I hope that there will be more time to evaluate this as we move forward. My take away from that trip that we shared with most of the state department is that we, probably, shouldve made a choice than to isolate how many. That is my view. He is a war criminal we know about his history indoor for. The fact that he was able to continue to assemble his power base in sudan, which was already considerable, i think ive contributed to the situation we are now. Not that that wouldve been easy. It wouldve been hard. I think we have seen what happened when he continued to play the role that he have. Can you talk about the way forward . Also, if you could talk about the potential challenges in neighboring ethiopia. We have a very fragile peace in ethiopia. Obviously there are territorial disputes between sudan and ethiopia. We need to be doing everything we can to make sure that the conflict in sudan doesnt make the situation even worth in ethiopia. If you could address those questions. Senator van hollen, great to hear that the system worked for your constituents in maryland. We welcome any improvements, comments, that you have about that system Going Forward. Or any other members of this committee. Second, you missed our shout out to your diplomacy along with senator coons, it really made a big difference. Your willingness to roll up your sleeves and to talk with these difficult actors. This particular round in jeddah first, of all, the saudis are acting and have been instrumental in getting conversation going between these warm pie worries. Without that, it might not have happened at all. I will say that although, as you know better than many, the regional players, including the uae, have their own economic interests and long term ties to various parts of this. The uae has been constructive in this effort to get humanitarian roots going to jeddah. They have actually been pressuring both sides and sending strong messages. We look forward to that continuing Going Forward and staying because it is going to take everyone to keep pressing everyone. With regards to ethiopia, i think you spoke with secretary blinken after he came back from his trip. We have had progress, as you know. Implementing key elements of the november cessation of hostilities agreement. Including the formation of the interim regional administration. Withdrawal of their trans forces. The concurrent disarmament. In a positive role of the African Unions Monitoring Mission is playing. I will say, back on sudan, we are working with the African Union on, what we hope, will be a long support. Function that they will play if we can get to these larger talks that weve talked about. The initial elements are beginning to show, to bear fruit. Obviously, we have continuing difficulties with some parts of sudan, ethiopia. We have to ensure that the government in ethiopia continues to fulfill its commitment for unhindered access to humanitarian actors. For accountability that it continues to meet its commitment for real justice that journalists have access. That we continue to see good conversations with other constituent parts of ethiopia. That is what we are working. On we appreciate your support for all of that. Thank you. We are all incredibly disappointed that the hopes for democracy in sudan have been hijacked here. I know that we all shared the goal of trying to get back on track. We should look at some of the Lessons Learned for why it didnt happen the way we wanted the first time. Thank you. Thank you, mister chairman. Senator scott. Thank you, madam mister chairman. Thank you to both the witnesses for being here today. Good to see you, i wish she was under different circumstances. Always happy to see a south carolinian represented in our nation. It has been nearly a month since the outbreak of hostilities in sudan. Since then, we have seen ceasefires after, ceasefire, failing. Hundreds of thousands of fled their homes. Nearly 600 have been killed. 5000 injured. Figures that are, like, lee under representative. Hospitals have been attacked. Medical care is scarce. Access to food and water are quickly running out. In a country play with the secretary humanitarian crisis situations seemingly only getting worse. All of this is the direct result of two selfish man and their desire to keep power at all costs, it seems to me. At the expense of their own people. Propped up by in part, the inadequacy of u. S. Policy. Apart from the loss of civilian lives, im greatly concerned about the risks of further instability in studio. What the tone to the regions beyond it. I will start with two easy questions. How do we get where we are . How do we bring the conflict to the end . Particularly, not one throwing lambert too strong and that overthrew the government. Thank you, senator scott. Without going back through decades of tragic history in sudan, i will start with where we were after whom dahl was ousted. And our efforts with our International Partners to support the sudanese people that created a larger prospect which included more sunni Civil Society. More of their civilian voices in this framework transition. Painfully negotiated among them. Months and months of effort which was, we felt, bearing real fruit to get to that democratic transition, particularly in the fall and throughout the winter. We were, as i said earlier in the hearing, down to one issue. The one that you identified. Whether these two generals would agreed to unify their forces. We were in the process of offering various options for how that could happen, along with our International Partners. We were concerned because tensions between them would flare, on and off. Then we had the very disappointing choice on april 15th. Picking up their guns rather than continuing with the top. That is where we are now. What are we doing now . We are first and foremost kind of focus on getting them put their guns down. Down long enough and well enough so that assistant secretary charles, and colleagues, can get serious humanitarian aid in. We are now on our sixth or seventh short term ceasefire. A direct result of the International Pressure that everyone is putting on them, including more than 12 phone calls to the parties by secretary blinken himself. What we are trying to get done in jeddah now is to negotiate desperation of commitment to support the citizens of sudan who would be agreed upon by both of the warring parties to open court and follow humanitarian principles on the ground. That is stage one, stage two would then need to try to make the ceasefire enduring. Stage three would be to get back to a civilian that process. Probably with a broader contingent of civilians than what we had last time. It is extremely difficult, as you noticed. A quick thought on the evacuations for americans. The child is that we seem to faze. If you look at the fact that france was able to carry 500 people in the 4 40 hours. Germany about nine other people. China about 2000. All before china voted to agree to the evacuation of her, my thought was, why . As i think about these a carolinians in khartoum have been calling my office for assistance, there seems to be no actual plan that theyve received from the state department. I would love to hear what happens next. How do we do a better job of helping american citizens who want to leave . [inaudible] after the initial evacuation of the embassy, we were able to support our allies in the establishing a beach head at the airport. More than half of the americans who got out determined through the mass of the steering. We got 13 and americans out altogether. More than half of them went on the ballot flights in the first few days. While we were working in a division of labor, if you will, on the land routes. We were able to get another 700 people out through the land routes, including some of our allies. In exchange, we are continuing to give advice to any remaining americans. Sometimes at the beginning of evacuation people already. They arent sure about their family circumstances. We have continuing advice to americans who want to come out now. If you have constituents, please send them to us. We will work on and. Senator booker . Thank you to both of the witnesses. Thank you to the chairman for holding a full committee on this. I have, obviously, gathered a lot from listening to my colleagues. Obviously there is multiple fronts to this effort in terms of america. One is weve heard a lot about getting american citizens out. I talk to Jake Sullivan and others. Working with others. Another front is trying to see hostilities and get the negotiations and jet are so critical. Finally, helping society which was talked about extensively. Finding a way, not only to deal with the current crises going on. Threatening civilians and external person people fleeing to other unstable countries like chad, ethiopia, that is a crisis. This is a daytoday change. No reports im trying to stay up with from the congressional reserves service is more i want to drill down on a couple of themes within the three areas i talked about. The first is the still challenging bureaucracy of getting into the country. Really frustrating when you think about people being held up at the port of sudan. Critical supplies. Controlling Government Entities on the ground right now. The humanitarian aid commission. Is there an opportunity to center civilians in this larger negotiation thats going on . And jet are the two parties are the warring generals. The desire here is for there to still be society to begin to be elevated. The democratic governance should be empowered for the future, as well. Sir, on a personal note early in my career i turned on my response from one of my humanitarian partners i was dealing with the hack the humanitarian commission on and off for almost two decades now. For onetheir behavior is egregis even under the best of circumstances. Particularly now. We have impressing both in the discussions in jeddah but also in bilateral conversation. Including with the embassy here and others on the need to live those bureaucratic restrictions. It is egregious to have goods held up in clearance our have a partners feel like they have to go to the hard for permission to draw on supplies. They were actively working those issues. It continues to be a top priority. We have seen some of the food brought into ports today and cleared in the last couple of days. Something that people are looking very much on top of. The commitment and to protect civilians in sudan and they are working on in jeddah. Some of the basic humanitarian principles that have under guarded the work of the assistant secretary. Done their whole life but the sudanese actors need to enforce. We will see how that concludes. With regard to how we go, broadening that initial framework, i think we agree, completely, that will have to be broader. I will say, and i think you have been involved in this, as well. We have not limited our own engagement in terms of how to move the transition forward just to those who were participants in the framework. Ambassador godfrey has really broadened our outreach to the ngo community. The different aspects of Civil Society. The secretaries of had some of those folks into the office. Ive had Civil Society folks into my office. I think the question will be if we have that good news that we get beyond, put down the guns. Get a ceasefire. Get back to the framework. The question will be how do you structure it . It is sufficiently broad to capture the various views and ideas. Not so broad that it becomes unwieldy, right . Obviously this is a colossal breakdown here. A failure, in a, sense for democracy to take root. It means that we have to rererereree all of our action. Roles that we played. And of those conversations are going on. The citizens, armed militias have, once again, targeted refugees and are for. There are so many crises involved in this. I want to get an elastic and to have a little bit more input from you. I know that you are my understanding at least, you are the chair of a working group on wagner. So, clearly, there are operations going on. Their large percentage, 70 of the gold being exported is going to russia. We know what is going on in the ground. I wonder if in the final seconds could you give me some insight into the wagner group. How are we countering what is going on in their destabilizing efforts in the region . As you know, senator, as you said wagner plays a malignant role where no matter where they show. Out africa, acid, in the Central African republic. Across sahel. It has brought nothing but more violence. Looting of the sovereignty and the wealth of these countries. We are working with multiple countries across africa to help them. Many of whom have buyers remorse now that they invited bagheri in, at all. We can talk to you in a more secure setting on some of our efforts there. Everything from countering disinformation to offering Better Options in terms of security, et cetera, to disrupting the supply chain of wagner weapons. Gold and other things out. We are working, intensively, also, with other partners in the gold supply chain, including the uae on these problems. You are absolutely right. Prigozhin has brought nothing good to sudan. He is strip mining the country of its golden of its future. My time is expiring but i wanted to say that i would like to take you when someone in a classified setting having the conversation. The scope of the wagner operation, i just saw facebook shutting down 100 plastic ounce. They are working on so many different friends in the african venue, contact, it is so disturbing. I would like to better understand our efforts to counter their maligned activities. Good. We will look forward to that. Thank you. Let me ask you some final questions. I know that the may 4th executive order on sudan issued by the president and. There was also an executive order issued related to the conflict in ethiopia that was never fully utilized. Not a single ethiopian was designated under the executive order. 800,000 people are estimated to have died a result of the conflict in northern ethiopia. Sanctions are only effective if used as part of a well set of strategy to obtain specific policy goals and aims. Does the administration have a strategy to use targeted sanctions to obtain the outcomes that we are seeking . Will we use targeted sanctions to pressure the parties in jeddah to come to an agreement . Chairman, i think you have seen, around the world, the administrations commitment to using sanctions, including on a subject that we work on a lot, together, the russian war in ukraine. I would argue that the fact of the executive order on may 4th that we gave ourselves this tool was having an effect on the parties being willing to come to jeddah. As i said, we are working on how that executive order could be populated with names, depending on how the talks go. We have done the same in ethiopia. I would argue that just having the executive order played a good role in getting us to the better place we are in now. Are there packages that are ready to be deployed if you make that decision . There are. There are. Do we have any diplomatic outreach to allies and partners to join us . In imposing sanctions if we, in fact, decide to do so . Yes. The secretary and assistant secretary and i have all been involved in ensuring that if we go in a direction, we wont go alone. I want to refer back to senator rischs remarks on a special envoy into sudan. That has a growing chorus of voices. Unlike the predecessors this does not cover sudan. Nor does he directly report to the president , or the secretary of state. What is the administrations position on a special envoy that report directly to the president or secretary of state . Chairman, at the current moment, particular the sense he is now outside sudan and not running a massive embassy, we are deploying ambassador godfreyd, not just to maintain broad contact with the sudanese and to participate in these talks in jeddah and any other onward talks, we also and tissue bait using him to maintain tight links to regional partners to the Global Coalition that we will need on this. Including working intensively now with the African Union. Even augmenting that. There are pieces of the sudan work that mike hammer, our ethiopian envoy, has been helpful in. He will continue to be helpful. We will call on. Him another word, the department does not support the special envoy . I hear all your answers around the edges but not answering my question. At the moment we see ambassador godfrey d. As that envoy. If he really gonna do all the shuttle diplomacy that youre talking about . He will if we need him. Yes. Of course he reports too . He does. It seems to many of us that given the stakes in the region that we urgently need a high level representative to deal with interlocutors in africa, the gulf, in europe. One that reports directly to the president or the secretary of state. While youre here, please take that back to the department. Tried to press that a variant of levels. I think it is good to senator rich is joining me in that regard. He raised it originally. Finally, miss charles, i have heard some of your answers [inaudible] secretary general guterres of the u. N. Said that mid april the humanitarian situation in sudan is already precarious, now it is dreadful. I heard that he set up a team in the roby. If a fiveday humanitarian ceasefire is agreed, our organizations ready to move into a assistance profile in sudan . To assist these affected areas . Our partners are already gearing up. In fact, some are trying to send more staff into sudan right now. That is why we are pressing things like waivers and visas. They are also bringing supplies into port sudan. The key is really to have sufficient security to move those supplies from port sudan and then to distribute them where they are most needed. Inside of khartoum, doff, or in other places where we are seeing the worst fighting. Lower that security entail . Who would provide . That we are waiting for assurances from the parties that they will respect that access. Given the urgency of the situation, what happens if we dont get the humanitarian ceasefire . Is there any way to deliver humanitarian assistance to sudan if talks in jeddah fail . So, right now we are working with our partners to very quickly use what is already in sudan. Also, to pursue all available routes, including from neighboring countries, to bring the supplies and to try to diversify where supplies we coming in from. To not be so reliant on the port of sudan to khartoum route. The sudan humanitarian response is already severely underfunded. It just received about 14 of the required funding before the current crisis. What actions are we undertaken to galvanize financial contributions from International Partners in order to be able to meet the challenges . Assuming that we have the wherewithal to do so . It was already under funded. We were funding the majority of that humanitarian response plan. Weve been pleased to see the saudis make an announcement of 100 Million Dollar pledge. We want to see that actually delivered. Two actors on the ground who may responsibly deliver that assistance. We are certainly pressing others as we have seen indication from the canadian, the european union, as well. And that they will support this. We have seen, particularly from the golf, stepping away from humanitarian assistance. Particularly in their neighborhood, we would love to see them step up many of the International Staff or aid organizations evacuated khartoum. We may not be able to, even if the opportunity, the window gets opened to rely upon our traditional partners to reach beneficiaries are we supporting sudanese organizations that may be able to, given the opportunity, be able to do that . Among our partners are 30 sudanese, local ngos, either director more often indirect partners of ours. We have been in close contact with them. Not just our International Partners. Even our International Partners, most of their sudanese staff are still in country. Albeit many of them have relocated to other areas. They are reconstituting and we are working with them, again to try to reconstitute as quickly as possible. And get them the resources they need. One of the consequences, this may be true the western hemisphere as it is in sudan. If we cannot come to a successful conclusion here, up to 1 million sudanese may very well be on the move and seek refuge that already has a growing reality on the borders of egypt. What is your assessment of egypts willingness and capacity to process a large number of refugees over its border with sudan . I cannot undersecretary newman speak more generally about egypt. I really thought it was her. Her badly whip, so to speak. If you have insight, im happy to hear. Speak more about we, certainly, have been pressing with colleagues at the state department for the egyptians to allow international organizations, into the border. The mission for the first time just for how days ago we have seen some progress on that front. We would also like to see the opening of a land route from ethiopia inches the and so we can address conditions on the sudanese side of the border, as well. Just to compliment that, we have about 70,000 sudanese and Country Nationals who already arrived in egypt. Egypt, as you know, is not the richest country on the planet. Looking at how to support their, International Support for egypt. We are also speaking with chad. Beginning to see their own stream of refugees. To ensure that the egyptian red crescent on the border is doing as much as they can. The crossing points are open. Easy to maneuver and as the undersecretary charles just said. The first problem with getting the u. N. And i humanitarian access to the border. That is not happen. This is something that we are watching and working on. This is a challenge of conflict. We have seen it in the western hemisphere. 20 Million People who are displaced in the southern hemisphere. They are seeking Refugee Status or they are seeking asylum. Or they are just simply, displaced. That i cannot be assimilated in the countries that they have moved to. They will march north. In this case, they will march elsewhere. Thinking about that, in advance, as a reality. A real possibility, hopefully not a reality. It is going to be critical. Otherwise we will then again deal with the aftermath. Not be prepared for the aftermath, instead of thinking about it proactively. I urge you both to look at that. Let me thank both of our witnesses for appearing before the committee to discuss the crisis in sudan. It is obviously a very volatile situation. We urgently need to use all available tools to put it into the fighting in chart any path forward toward a civilianled democracy. Given how rapidly events are changing on the ground, i urge both of your departments and agencies to continue to keep the committee apprized of your actions. The record of the hearing will remain open until the close of business on friday, may the 12th. The questions for the record of some of the no later than that day. Lets hope that we can get a expeditious response. With that, this meeting is adjourned. The records are submitted no later than that day, lets hope that we can get an expedition response to that, hearing is adjourned. If you ever miss any of cspans coverage, you can find it, anytime, online at cspan. Org. Videos of key hearings, debates, and other events feature markers that guide you to interesting highlight. These points of interest markers appear on the righthand side of your screen. When you hit videos. This timeline makes it easy to quickly get an idea of what was debated and decided in washington. 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This is about democracy looks like. Cspan, powered by cable. Officials from the office of congressional ethics in the u. S. House testify before