As the conflict in Sudan approaches a devastating three-year mark, international donors are being urged to transform the upcoming International Ministerial Conference on Sudan in Berlin on April 15 into a catalyst for survival rather than a diplomatic formality. With more than 33 million people currently in necessitate of assistance, the gap between dwindling foreign aid and escalating human suffering has reached a critical tipping point.
The crisis, fueled by the protracted war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has dismantled the country’s healthcare infrastructure. Humanitarian organizations warn that high-income countries must use the Berlin meeting to save lives by securing increased funding and pressuring warring parties to grant unhindered humanitarian access to civilians, including survivors of systemic sexual violence.
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and South Africa, cautioned that the meeting must not become another “talking shop.” According to Chagutah, the international community must commit direct funding to frontline non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and redouble diplomatic efforts to protect health workers and local responders whereas pursuing accountability for violations across the country.
“As aid has declined in Sudan, the needs have only increased,” Chagutah said. “Behind these numbers are real lives, real people who have lost their homes, loved ones and livelihoods, who are fighting to survive the war and the disease and hunger it brings.”
The Human Cost of Funding Shortfalls
The impact of precarious funding is not merely statistical; We see felt in the triage tents and community kitchens where providers are forced to make impossible choices. In late 2025, interviews with seven NGOs revealed a pattern of operational collapse. Organizations providing everything from hospital fuel to post-rape care for children reported being forced to reduce staff or shut down entirely due to insufficient resources.
In some instances, the lack of basic medicines, such as antibiotics and painkillers, has forced international NGOs to prioritize certain patients over others based on limited supply. The nutritional crisis is equally dire. One international NGO reported that it can only meet 50 percent of the need for ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), the nutrient-dense paste essential for treating children with severe acute malnutrition.
The scale of the collapse is further highlighted by CARE International, which estimates that up to 80 percent of community kitchens have closed due to aid cuts, exacerbating the hunger crisis in regions already ravaged by war.
Disproportionate Impact on Women and the Disabled
The intersection of conflict and funding cuts has left the most vulnerable populations in a state of “chaos.” Survivors of widespread sexual violence, committed by all parties to the conflict, are finding that the grassroots groups once providing lifesaving care are now receiving nothing. A women’s rights activist noted that hundreds of women and girls are being abandoned as access to sexual reproductive healthcare vanishes, describing the situation for survivors with traumatic fistula as “beyond painful.”
The crisis extends beyond Sudan’s borders, as over 4.5 million people have fled to neighboring countries. In February, the United Nations issued an appeal for US$1.6 billion to support these refugees, many of whom are struggling in displacement camps in Chad.
For children and adults with disabilities, the lack of basic mobility aids and healthcare is a barrier to basic survival and dignity. In Chad, 17-year-classic Yagoub*, shot in the leg by the RSF in North Darfur, relies on a crutch and cannot afford the 5 million Sudanese pounds (approximately US$1,470) required for surgery to remove shrapnel from his body. Similarly, 15-year-old Makawi*, who has cerebral palsy, was carried across the border on his grandmother’s back; without a wheelchair, he is unable to access toilets or showers in his camp, and the cost of schooling remains prohibitive.
A Systemic Failure of Global Commitments
The current humanitarian vacuum is the result of a stark contradiction between political rhetoric and financial action. For decades, high-income states have pledged to allocate at least 0.7 percent of their Gross National Income (GNI) to overseas aid. However, the reality on the ground in Sudan suggests these commitments are not being met.
| Funding Source/Metric | Status/Change | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| US Funding (Coordinated Plan) | Halved between 2024-2025 | Severe reduction in primary aid |
| Total Plan Financing (2025) | Less than 40% funded | Widespread gaps in health/food services |
| Community Kitchens (CARE) | 80% closed | Increased acute malnutrition |
| UN Refugee Appeal (Feb) | US$1.6 billion requested | Critical need for regional support |
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), US funding for Sudan’s coordinated humanitarian plan was halved between 2024 and 2025. Less than 40 percent of the 2025 plan has been financed by all donors combined.
While the UK foreign office recently prioritized Sudan and placed a specific focus on women and girls following an Independent Commission for Aid Impact report, observers remain skeptical. These promises come against a backdrop of drastic cuts to UK development staff and programs, raising questions about how such priorities will be delivered in practice.
NGO leaders emphasize that “start-and-stop” funding is particularly damaging. Because bank systems have collapsed and security is volatile, programs must be planned months in advance. When funding is erratic, the entire delivery chain—from vaccine procurement to fuel delivery—breaks down.
To address this, Tigere Chagutah argues that donors must appear beyond immediate aid and consider longer-term measures, including debt relief and cancellation, to allow Sudan to eventually reinvest in its own public goods and services.
*Names have been changed to protect the identities of interviewees.
Disclaimer: This report contains information regarding public health crises and medical costs. It is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute medical or financial advice.
The international community’s next critical checkpoint is the International Ministerial Conference on Sudan in Berlin on April 15, where the commitment of funds and the establishment of secure humanitarian corridors will be the primary metrics of success.
We invite readers to share this story and join the conversation on how the international community can better support Sudan’s civilians.
