UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Members of the UN Country Team in Sudan met on Monday in Khartoum, the capital, for the first time since the conflict in the country started in April 2023, a UN spokesperson said Monday.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told a daily briefing that the meeting was convened under the leadership of UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Denise Brown.

Dujarric said that while the 28 UN agencies, funds and programs have maintained their presence and operations from Port Sudan, a major port city in eastern Sudan, "this gradual move back to the capital marks an important step, signaling strengthened UN coordination and engagement on the ground."

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation remains dire in the country, particularly for those who have been displaced from their villages and towns, said the spokesperson, adding that the UN Refugee Agency and its partners continue to respond to displacement from El Fasher and Kordofan.

"We continue to call for an end to hostilities so that civilians can receive the respite and protection they urgently need," he said.

Sudan has been gripped by a brutal conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023. The fighting has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced millions from their homes, deepening the country's humanitarian crisis. ■