Sudan is now at the centre of one of the world’s “most severe” humanitarian crises, according to UN agencies, with over 30 million people in need of urgent aid. Among them, 9.6 million have been displaced, and nearly 15 million children are struggling to survive amid ongoing violence and scarcity.
“This is one of the worst protection crises we’ve seen in decades,” said Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
In a joint humanitarian appeal, UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP) called for immediate international support to address what they described as “immense suffering and growing dangers” across Sudan.
As fighting has eased in parts of Khartoum and other regions, around 2.6 million people have returned to cities devastated by war, often finding their homes destroyed and basic services such as water, healthcare, and education barely functioning.
“I met people coming back to a city still scarred by conflict, where homes are damaged and basic services are barely functioning. Their determination to rebuild is remarkable, but life remains incredibly fragile,” said IOM Deputy Director General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels.
Health agencies have also raised the alarm over the spread of diseases such as cholera, dengue, and malaria, warning that malnutrition and disease could claim thousands of lives without urgent aid.
Meanwhile, an estimated 260 000 civilians, including 130 000 children, remain under siege in El Fasher, North Darfur, where access to food, water, and medical care has been cut off for more than 16 months.
“Entire communities are surviving in conditions that defy dignity,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, adding that many children are exposed to violence and dying from preventable illnesses.
Although the UN’s humanitarian response has reached 13.5 million people so far this year, the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan, totalling $4.2 billion, remains critically underfunded at only 25%.
“The humanitarian community is ready to respond, but it cannot do it alone,” the agencies said, calling for urgent global action to save lives and help Sudanese communities rebuild.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
