At the end of July, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1769, authorising a 'hybrid' UN-AU peacekeeping force and demanding that all parties to the conflict agree an immediate cessation of hostilities. However, one month later, nothing has changed on the ground and civilians are still being attacked, fleeing their homes and living every day in fear. The deployment of the hybrid force (known as UNAMID) will be a gradual process expected to take at least a year; in the meantime, civilians remain desperately in need of protection. Oxfam is calling on the international community to follow up Resolution 1769 by increasing the pressure on those responsible for the violence to end attacks on civilians immediately and allow humanitarian agencies safe access to those in need.

There have never been more people in need in Darfur than there are right now, yet in 2007 agencies' ability to reach the four million who need assistance has fallen to the lowest levels in three years. Daily, violent targeting of humanitarian workers and assets has placed the world's largest humanitarian response in jeopardy, with potentially catastrophic consequences. An effective ceasefire by all the many parties and factions is urgently needed if the suffering is to end. Oxfam says that world leaders can, and must, do more to ensure that it is put in place without any further delay.