The United Nations (UN) called on the global community not to overlook the dire situation of civilians suffering in Sudan due to the ongoing conflict, announcing a fundraising goal of $4.1 billion to meet their humanitarian needs.
This initiative also aims to support those who have fled to neighboring countries seeking refuge from the devastating war that has been raging for 10 months.
The conflict, a fierce battle between the armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has wreaked havoc on Sudan’s infrastructure, leading to warnings of possible famine and the displacement of millions both within and outside the country’s borders.
According to the UN, approximately half of Sudan’s population, which equates to around 25 million people, is in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and protection.
More than 1.5 million individuals have already sought asylum in neighboring nations, including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.
In a joint appeal with the High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called for $2.7 billion in funding on Wednesday to provide humanitarian aid to 14.7 million people affected by the crisis.
Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, emphasized the international community’s apparent neglect of Sudan during a session with diplomats in Geneva, stating, “The international community continues to forget Sudan.”
Griffiths highlighted the harsh reality faced by those in the humanitarian field, where suffering is often compared and competed over for attention and funding.
He noted, “There’s a particular cruelty in the world of humanitarian work which is the competition in suffering, the competition between regions: I am suffering more than you, therefore I need to get more attention and more money.”
An additional $1.4 billion was requested by the UNHCR to support nearly 2.7 million people across five countries neighboring Sudan as part of this funding appeal.
Griffiths informed reporters that the warring factions in Sudan have been invited to Geneva to discuss ways to ensure civilians receive the necessary aid, stating that there is a principle agreement from both sides, with details of any meeting yet to be finalized.
Griffiths lamented that less than half of the funding requested by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs last year to assist civilians in Sudan was met.
He stressed the need for the international community to act with a heightened sense of urgency, concluding, “We must not forget Sudan… That is the simple message I must convey today.”
