The armed conflict in Sudan: geopolitics, humanitarian crisis and international law

Watch the replay of the event.

In April 2023, the Rapid Support Forces of the Sudanese defence apparatus launched full-scale military operations against the Sudanese Armed Forces. Following decades of humanitarian emergencies, the hostilities have escalated into a major crisis, with widespread civilian suffering, mass displacement, and the systematic perpetration of international crimes against the civilian population. The conflict has also taken on a regional dimension, raising pressing geopolitical and legal questions.

The event is structured in two panels. The first part explores the geopolitical and humanitarian dimensions of the armed conflict in Sudan. The second panel examines the responsibility of enablers of international crimes and the right to justice for victims. It brings together scholars, humanitarian actors, legal practitioners, human rights activists and victims/survivors of abuses to explore how regional dynamics, humanitarian imperatives, and international justice may be addressed by the International Community as a whole. The role of third States in triggering and sustaining the armed conflict is analyzed together with the modes of liability and attribution applicable to the alleged authors and enablers of international crimes.

This event is co-organised with NYU School of Professional Studies - Center for Global Affairs.

Program

Welcome remarks by Arancha González, Dean, Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po 

Panel 1: The geopolitical and humanitarian dimensions of the armed conflict in Sudan

• Dr. Matthew Hedges PhD in Security Studies & Authoritarianism
• Prof. Roland Marchal CNRS Junior Professor, Center for International Studies (CERI) at Sciences Po 
• Mathilde Simon, Advocacy Advisor, Médecins Sans Frontières

Panel 2: Addressing the responsibility of enablers of international crimes and the right to justice for victims

• Rodney Dixon, KC, Barrister, Temple Garden Chamber
• Eiman Seifeldin, Chairperson, International Community Care 

Moderators/Co-facilitators 

• Dr. David Donat Cattin, Adjunct Professor of International Law, NYU Center for Global Affairs
• Jeanne Sulzer, Faculty Member, Sciences Po Law School & PSIA; Founder, Impact Litigation; Attorney before the ICC.