“My stomach hurts. I want to go home and play with my friends.”

That is what seven-year-old Zaki from Sudan said to his mother, shortly before he died in her arms.

He died of anaemia. His family did not have enough to eat. Zaki's family is one of millions of affected families in Sudan.

When we read the headlines in the European media about the so-called forgotten crisis in Sudan, I ask myself:

How can we forget about children like Zaki?

How can we forget about the world's largest humanitarian crisis? The 30 million who cannot survive without humanitarian assistance.

The horrific reports of women and children being raped. When I visited one of the refugee camps, speaking to a Sudanese mother telling me that her daughter cannot stand up anymore after being raped several times before coming to the refugee camp, I had no words left.

The reported atrocities, such as the people trapped in El Fasher and the hundreds of civilians and aid workers that have reportedly been killed this weekend.

We cannot forget them, because every life matters.

This war must end.

And if it continues, there will not be any winner, period.

Therefore, I would also like to underline three priorities. First: humanitarian assistance. Germany is pledging an additional 125 million euro today for Sudan and the neighbouring states. But we must ensure that humanitarian assistance can actually reach those in need. And I want to be crystal clear: No amount of humanitarian assistance will be sufficient if this war continues.

As said by the African Union, there cannot be any military solution. This war must end.

Therefore, second, all external actors must work towards de-escalation. Those who seek to gain power or influence through military or financial support are fanning the flames of conflict.

They should see the face of Zaki and the raped children and women every day. We therefore urge all external actors to use their power responsibly in order to shape a secure and peaceful region.

Third, the parties to the conflict must finally come to the negotiation table. We firmly support the African Union and the United Nations in taking the lead towards a lasting peace. I would like to underline the words of my French and my British colleagues. We had a good meeting in Paris, and today we are a couple of steps further down the road. We must continue to work on that roadmap.

The first step for a lasting ceasefire could be an agreement for the protection of critical infrastructure, as proposed by the European Union.

Those who are definitely ready for peace are the people of Sudan, the millions of innocent people. We need them. We need a political process that empowers the Sudanese people, so they can shape their own future.

Because the people of Sudan are not forgetting children like Zaki.

They are not forgetting the survivors of sexual violence, the millions of people who had to flee their homes.

We stand by their side.

We will continue our work until we see peace in Sudan.