Today [15th April] the UK will co-host a conference in London
alongside the African Union, EU, France and Germany to mark the
two-year anniversary of the conflict in Sudan with attendees
including major donors and multilateral
institutions.
Bringing together foreign ministers from across the globe, the
Foreign Secretary will step up international efforts to protect
civilians and work towards an end to the conflict.
During a one-day conference, he will announce new life-saving aid
to support over 650,000 Sudanese people. Alongside international
counterparts, he will also identify steps to improve humanitarian
access and find a long-term political solution.
Sudan is facing the worst humanitarian crisis on record, with
over 30 million people in desperate need of aid, over 12 million
people are displaced, and famine is spreading throughout Sudan.
Over 12 million women and girls are also at risk of gender-based
violence.
The new £120 million funding announced today will deliver
lifesaving food and nutrition supplies, including for vulnerable
children and will provide emergency support to survivors of
sexual violence.
The Foreign Secretary,
said:
“Two years is far too long - the brutal war in Sudan has
devastated the lives of millions – and yet much of the world
continues to look away. We need to act now to stop the
crisis from becoming an all-out catastrophe, ensuring aid gets to
those who need it the most.
“As I saw earlier this year on a visit to Chad's border with
Sudan, the warring parties have shown an appalling disregard for
the civilian population of Sudan. This conference will bring
together the international community to agree a pathway to end
the suffering.
“Instability must not spread – it drives migration from Sudan
and the wider region, and a safe and stable Sudan is vital for
our national security. The UK will not let Sudan be
forgotten.”
African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace
and Security, Bankole Adeoye said:
"Achieving peace in Sudan depends on valuing every
voice and everyone playing a role in building a prosperous Sudan.
The African Union is committed to assisting all the people of
Sudan build a brighter democratic future by working to silence
the guns."
The ongoing conflict and instability risks spilling over into the
wider region, driving Sudanese people away from their homes, with
some taking dangerous onward journeys to the UK and Europe.
Instability in Sudan also directly impacts the UK's national
security.
The UK wants to help tackle instability in Sudan and reduce the
level of irregular migration from the region to Europe and the UK
as part of its Plan for Change.
In January 2025, the Foreign Secretary
visited the Chad-Sudan border at Adré to see first-hand
the impact of the conflict on refugees.
Notes to editors
- Countries and organisations attending the Sudan conference
include the United Kingdom, the African Union (AU), the European
Union (EU), France, Germany, Canada, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Norway, Qatar, South Sudan,
Switzerland, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, United States
of America, alongside high-level Representatives of the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of
Arab States (LAS) and the United Nations (UN).
- On 17 November, the Foreign Secretary announced a £113
million aid package, which will support over a million people
affected by violence in Sudan.
- The new £120 million funding announced today is for the
2025/2026 financial year and will deliver food including pulses,
oils, salts and cereals.
- The UK welcomes the 13 February decision to keep the critical
Chad-Sudan Adré border crossing open for three more months. But
the Sudanese Armed Forces must keep it open permanently, and
without restrictions.
- The parties to the conflict continue to obstruct the work of
humanitarian agencies, through delaying visas for aid workers and
limiting their movements throughout Sudan.
- Funding announced today aims to reach over 600,000 people
including:
- 670,000 people reached with food assistance for three
months.
- 205,000 people reached through a cash-based response.
- 600,000 people reached through nutrition and water and
sanitation.
