Since the outbreak of armed conflict in April 2023, Sudan has witnessed a severe deterioration in both security and humanitarian conditions. The ongoing hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have resulted in widespread and grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. These include war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both parties to the conflict. The humanitarian crisis has escalated catastrophically, displacing millions of people, exacerbating food insecurity, and facilitating the spread of epidemics and diseases.
In response to these grave challenges, the United Nations Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan in October 2023. The mission’s core mandate is to conduct comprehensive investigations into the facts, circumstances, and root causes of all alleged human rights violations, and to identify those responsible to ensure accountability.
Given the ongoing nature of the conflict and the intensifying scale of atrocities, extending the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission beyond October 2025 is not merely a desirable option, it is an urgent and unavoidable necessity. Such an extension aims to ensure the continuity of independent monitoring, accurate documentation of violations, and sustained pursuit of justice for victims.
This policy brief provides an in-depth analysis of the critical role played by the Fact-Finding Mission in this context. It also highlights the serious implications of failing to renew its mandate and presents strategic recommendations for its extension and the expansion of its powers in line with the complexity of the current crisis.