Over $1 Billion Committed to Alleviate Hunger Crisis in Sudan
As Sudan's civil war enters its third year, claiming tens of thousands of lives and forcing millions to flee, an international aid conference in Berlin has pledged over $1.5 billion for humanitarian relief, German officials announced on Wednesday.
As Sudan’s civil war enters its third year, claiming tens of thousands of lives and forcing millions to flee, an international aid conference in Berlin has pledged over $1.5 billion for humanitarian relief, German officials announced on Wednesday.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking on the eve of the donor meeting, expressed optimism, referencing a previous conference in London that had garnered a billion dollars. “We are on track for more,” he told Deutschlandfunk, noting an uptick in pledges.
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At the conference’s commencement, African Union Commission chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssouf made an urgent call for increased media coverage of Sudan’s dire humanitarian crisis.
The conference not only seeks to gather funds but also to revive failing peace negotiations. However, the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) remain absent from talks. The conflict has plunged most Sudanese into poverty, with 11 million displaced and nearly double that number facing acute hunger.
“People are exhausted,” shared Amgad Ahmed, a resident of Omdurman since the conflict’s onset. “The war has stripped us of work, savings, and stability,” he told AFP.
The Berlin gathering marks the latest in a series of international efforts, following similar summits in London and Paris.
Faint Signs of Recovery
The war, primarily between Sudan’s army and the RSF, continues its deadly toll. Drone strikes alone have claimed nearly 700 civilian lives since January, particularly in the southern Kordofan region and Blue Nile State, reports the United Nations.
Yet, in Khartoum, where the army reclaimed control last year, life shows signs of resurgence. Reconstruction efforts have begun, marketplaces are bustling, and national secondary school exams took place recently after a long hiatus. According to the U.N., Khartoum has seen the return of around 1.7 million people.
Despite reconstruction, danger remains, with efforts ongoing to clear unexploded ordnance littered across the city. Al-Basheer Babker al-Basheer, who returned to Khartoum after years abroad, remarked on the city’s need for a long recovery. “I was glad to come back,” he shared with AFP, “but seeing the city center was heart-wrenching. It’s not the place I remember.”
Diplomatic Deadlock
Efforts led by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt — collectively known as the Quad — to broker peace have stalled. Saudi Arabia and Egypt support the Sudanese army, while the UAE faces allegations of arming the RSF, which it denies. Talks faltered when Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, critiqued the group for perceived bias.
On humanitarian aid, Wadephul noted the “regrettable” reduction of U.S. involvement compared to past years. However, Massad Boulos from the U.S. stated in Berlin that Washington had contributed $579 million for Sudan’s aid in 2025 and pledged $200 million this year. He also mentioned efforts towards a three-month humanitarian truce, hoping it might pave the way for lasting peace.