Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms Endorsed for Nobel Peace Prize

The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), an independent research institution, has included Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms on the list of worthy nominees for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.

"Operating in a decentralized manner, these groups deliver essential humanitarian assistance in a highly complex conflict environment, with limited access to communities, resources and infrastructure," the PRIO director said in an updated list published on October 3. "Volunteers often operate in insecure areas, facing threats of harassment and violence," he said. The Emergency Committees appeared second on his list following elections observers. PRO has no official connection to the Nobel Institute or the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which issues the Prize, which will bew announced this year on October 11.

With access to much of Sudan's population innaccessible for international aid groups, which have also face funding shortfalls, the Emergecy Rooms are the primary means for delivering humanitarian aid across the war-ravage country. "These neighbourhood initiatives have been a lifeline for communities since the start of the conflict, but they have struggled to receive consistent funding and keep pace with the soaring needs," according to the World Food Programme, which working with these grassroots community kitchens to rech people in need.

AllAfrica's reporting on peacebuilding in Africa is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.