GENEVA - The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold an urgent debate to "address the human rights situation in and around El Obeid, North Kordofan in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Sudan."
The urgent debate will be held on Friday, 3 July 2026, starting at 10:00 am (GMT+2) in the Assembly Hall at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The meeting is open to the media and will be webcast live on UN Web TV in the six official languages of the UN.
The urgent debate is being convened following an official request submitted on Monday, 29 June 2026 by a core group of countries - Germany, Ireland, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), Norway and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The group said in its request that "this action is needed due to the threat of potential escalation on the ground; approximately 500,000 civilians are at risk of being targeted in large-scale atrocities. Increasing drone strikes have destroyed civilian infrastructure, resulting in severe fuel and water shortages, and loss of civilian lives where siege-like conditions have seen thousands trapped in El Obeid town, cut off from basic services."
The group said it would submit a draft resolution for adoption by members of the Human Rights Council as an outcome of the urgent debate.
The programme of work for the ongoing 62nd regular session of the Human Rights Council has been adjusted to include this urgent debate. This urgent debate does not require signatories or formal notifications as is the case for special sessions.
This will be the 13th urgent debate of the Human Rights Council since its creation in 2006.
