The UN called on donors and diplomatic partners to take urgent action as the conflict nears its third year with no sign of resolution.

Speaking at a donor conference in Washington, DC, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said the brutal conflict, marked by famine, mass displacement and widespread human rights abuses, is pushing millions of civilians deeper into crisis, while humanitarian access remains dangerously restricted.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023. What began as a power struggle between former allies quickly spread through a country already grappling with political instability, ethnic tensions and the growing impact of climate change.

Fletcher said there have been “too many days of famine, of brutal atrocities, of lives uprooted and destroyed,” adding that women and girls have been subjected to “terrifying sexual violence” as armed groups continue to act with impunity.

Tom Fletcher urged the international community to shift from “words to action,” insisting that stronger diplomatic pressure is needed to secure a ceasefire and ensure humanitarian corridors are opened.

He expressed full support for mediation efforts led by the so‑called Quad, the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, aimed at achieving a humanitarian truce and the demilitarisation of key areas to enable aid delivery.

“The guns must fall silent, and a path to peace must be charted,” Fletcher said, stressing that access to affected populations remains one of the biggest barriers to relief operations.

Under its 2026 humanitarian response plan, the UN intends to reach more than 20 million people with emergency assistance. To meet this goal, the organisation requires around $2.9 billion in funding.

Fletcher emphasised that money alone is not enough. “Safe and unhindered access for humanitarians and civilians is absolutely essential,” he said, calling for robust protection of aid workers as violence against humanitarian staff continues to rise.

“Let today be at last the signal that the world is uniting in solidarity for practical impact,” he urged donors.

Meanwhile, conflict on the ground is escalating. According to media reports, Sudanese Government forces on Tuesday entered Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, which had been under a months‑long siege by RSF fighters. The army also recently broke the blockade around Dilling, a key town roughly 110 kilometres north of Kadugli.

These advances come amid continued displacement, with thousands fleeing to informal settlements and IDP camps where they face critical shortages of food, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, shelter and schooling.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, 11.7 million people have been forcibly displaced since the conflict began:

This makes Sudan the site of the world’s largest displacement crisis.

Humanitarian organisations warn that without immediate action, Sudan risks sliding further into famine and instability, with dire consequences for the wider region.

–ChannelAfrica–