International donors have pledged €1.5 billion (about US$1.7 billion) to address Sudan’s deepening humanitarian crisis, as global leaders convened in Paris and renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in a conflict that has displaced nearly 13 million people.
The funding commitment, announced in a joint statement on Thursday following a high-level international conference on Sudan, includes €811 million from the European Union and its member states. The funds are intended to support urgent humanitarian needs both داخل Sudan and in neighboring countries hosting millions of refugees.
The conference, co-hosted by France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the African Union and the European Union, brought together ministers and representatives from 55 countries. Key regional and international bodies, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, also participated alongside dozens of NGOs.
Participants stressed that Sudan must not be overlooked amid competing global crises and urged stronger diplomatic efforts to bring an end to hostilities. They called on all parties to comply with international humanitarian law, ensure the protection of civilians, and allow full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, including cross-border aid operations. The removal of bureaucratic barriers to aid delivery was also highlighted as critical to scaling up the response.
Sudan is now widely described by the United Nations as the world’s worst humanitarian and displacement crisis, three years after conflict erupted on April 15, 2023.
The war pits the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Daglo. The two factions have been locked in a brutal power struggle since a breakdown in a fragile political transition following a military coup.
Violence has intensified in recent months, particularly after the RSF seized the strategic city of El Fasher in October 2025. Fighting has also escalated across North Darfur and the Kordofan regions, further destabilizing the country and worsening humanitarian conditions.
According to UN estimates, nearly 13 million people have been displaced by the conflict. Around seven million remain internally displaced within Sudan, while more than four million have fled to neighboring countries, placing immense strain on already fragile host communities.
Humanitarian needs continue to surge. An estimated 33.7 million people now require assistance, with nearly 30 million in need of urgent food aid. Famine conditions have already been reported in several regions, underscoring the scale of the crisis.
The situation is particularly dire for vulnerable populations. Approximately 12 million people—many of them women and children—are at risk of gender-based violence, as lawlessness and insecurity spread across conflict zones.
Despite the significant funding pledge, aid agencies warn that needs far outstrip available resources. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for sustained international engagement, warning that without a ceasefire and improved access, relief efforts will remain severely constrained.
The Paris conference concluded with a unified message: while financial support is critical, a political solution to end the conflict remains the only path to reversing Sudan’s spiraling humanitarian catastrophe.
