Sudan

Sudan: Europe Commits to Aid Increase on War Anniversary

APR 16 2024·Updated APR 17 2024

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Image credit: USAID via Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

European officials met in France on Monday to discuss humanitarian aid for Sudan, a year after the country plunged into a civil war that claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
Al Jazeera
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced that Germany will provide €244M ($260M) in aid and called on other European countries to pledge funds, warning that 1M Sudanese might die of hunger this year.
Al Jazeera
The UN aims to raise about $2.7B (€2.5M) for humanitarian aid this year, but so far only $145M (€136M), or around 5% of the target, has been raised. According to UN estimates, some 37% of the population is starving.
EuroNews
EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, said the bloc wants to ensure that Sudan is not forgotten, adding that the country became one of the worst humanitarian disasters in African history.
EuroNews
Some 25M Sudanese, more than half of them children, are in urgent need of aid, and famine declaration reportedly seems imminent. The war triggered the world's largest internal displacement crisis, with some 8.5M Sudanese displaced in total.
EL PAÍS English
While members of Sudanese civil society were present at the Paris conference, neither the Sudanese army nor the rival Rapid Support Forces were represented. In the year-long war, over 14K people have been killed and at least 33K injured.
Los Angeles Times

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Given the humanitarian disaster in Sudan, financial aid is essential, but not enough. An immediate cease-fire and a peaceful and negotiated political settlement are at least as important. Furthermore, it's necessary to exert pressure on the warring parties to ensure that they grant humanitarian organizations safe access to the delivery of humanitarian aid.

ReliefWeb

Establishment-critical narrative

It's telling that no concrete commitments were made in Paris to alleviate the Sudanese nightmare. Famine is a reality in Sudan and the international indifference compared to Gaza and Ukraine is a disgrace. If humanitarian values are still valid, the international community must immediately provide the funding needed to prevent an even greater catastrophe.

Los Angeles Times