Sudan War: UN appeals for $6 billion to help millions facing hunger

The United Nations on Monday urged donors to provide $6 billion in aid for Sudan this year, citing an unprecedented hunger crisis and mass displacement caused by civil war.

The amount requested for represents a more than 40% increase from last year’s request. It comes at a time when global aid budgets are stretched, partly due to a funding freeze announced last month by U.S. President Donald Trump, which has disrupted life-saving programmes worldwide.

The aid is expected to support close to 21 million people inside Sudan and up to 5 million others, primarily refugees in neighbouring countries, the result of the 22-month war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Speaking at a humanitarian conference for the people of Sudan, UN secretary-general António Guterres said Sudan is in the grip of a crisis of staggering scale and brutality, adding that it a crisis that is increasingly spilling over into the wider region.

“In my previous capacity as High Commissioner for Refugees, I had the privilege to work extensively in Sudan,” he said. “I saw firsthand the enormous generosity of the Sudanese people – as they supported their own internally displaced population as well as refugees – including those from Eritrea, Chad, South Sudan, and even Ethiopia, in certain moments.

“Now the international community must show the same level of support to the Sudanese people in their moment of despair as the Sudanese people once showed to their neighbours in distress. Your pledges today, in this room, will be the expression of that support.”

Crisis

Fighting continues to kill and injure civilians and destroy hospitals, markets and other essential infrastructure. Nearly two-thirds of the Sudanese population need emergency aid, and the country is facing famine conditions. Refugees in dire need arrive in neighbouring countries where local resources are already stretched thin.

Famine conditions have been reported in at least five locations in Sudan including displacement camps in Darfur and in the western Nuba Mountains. The UN said catastrophic hunger is expected to worsen by May when the lean season begins. With continued fighting and basic services having collapsed across most of the country, the crisis is set to get worse.

As the conflict rages on, thousands continue to flee every day. The majority arrive in an extremely vulnerable state, with high levels of malnutrition and requiring emergency assistance. To date, nearly 3.5 million people have sought safety in neighbouring countries further stretching already scarce services and resources.

With US$1.8 billion in support last year, humanitarian organizations reached more than 15.6 million people across Sudan, the UN said. Assistance included food and livelihoods support for more than 13 million people as well as water, sanitation and hygiene support, health and nutrition, and shelter assistance.