Khartoum has slammed a donor conference in Berlin as “surprising and unacceptable” interference, marking a sharp diplomatic clash as the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) enters a grueling fourth year. The Sudanese government warned that the meeting, organized without prior consultation, undermines state sovereignty by engaging with paramilitary groups.
The conference, hosted by Germany on Wednesday, seeks to mobilize more than €1 billion in funding commitments to address a humanitarian catastrophe that has left millions displaced and millions more on the brink of starvation. While Berlin aims to revive stalled peace talks, the reaction from Khartoum underscores the deep mistrust currently paralyzing diplomatic efforts to end the violence.
For the civilians caught in the crossfire, the political friction in Europe is a distant echo of a more immediate struggle for survival. In Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum, the exhaustion is palpable. Amgad Ahmed, 42, described a life stripped of its foundations, stating that three years of war have worn people down and resulted in the loss of work, savings and any sense of stability.
A Humanitarian Crisis of Unprecedented Scale
The scale of the suffering in Sudan is now described by international officials as the greatest humanitarian crisis of the modern era. According to United Nations data, 11 million people have been uprooted from their homes, while nearly twice that number face acute hunger.
The crisis has reached a breaking point in several regions. Famine was declared last year in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, and in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. UN officials warn that 20 additional areas are currently at risk of falling into similar conditions.
Despite the urgency, the global response remains severely underfunded. Luca Renda, the UN Development Programme representative in Sudan, noted that humanitarian funding currently stands at just 16 percent of the required amount. Renda cautioned that as long as external actors continue to fuel the conflict, the prospects for a lasting peace remain slim.
Escalating Violence and the Drone War
As the war enters its fourth year, the nature of the combat has shifted toward high-tech attrition. The United Nations reports that nearly 700 civilians have been killed in drone strikes since January alone. These attacks have intensified particularly in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions, where both the army and the RSF have escalated their aerial campaigns.
The conflict has already claimed tens of thousands of lives, transforming once-vibrant urban centers into battlegrounds. While some areas are seeing a fragile return to normalcy, the physical and psychological scars remain deep.
Geopolitical Gridlock and the ‘Quad’
Diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have been led by a group known as the “Quad”—comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. However, these talks stalled after army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan accused the group of bias in November, specifically citing the membership of Abu Dhabi.
The conflict is further complicated by a web of regional alliances that critics say prolongs the fighting:
| Supporting the Sudanese Army (SAF) | Accused of Supporting the RSF | Official Stance |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey | United Arab Emirates | All parties deny direct military involvement |
The Berlin conference intends to move beyond traditional aid by discussing how to exert direct influence on these key actors. Germany’s development ministry has already committed an additional €20 million in aid for the current year.
The Fragile Recovery of Khartoum
In the capital, a tentative sense of routine has returned to some districts since the army re-established control last year. Markets have reopened and traffic has resumed in parts of the city. In a significant milestone, national secondary school exams were conducted this week, ending nearly two years of widespread closures.
The United Nations estimates that approximately 1.7 million people have returned to Khartoum. However, this homecoming is fraught with danger, as authorities continue to clear tens of thousands of unexploded bombs left behind by years of urban warfare.
For returnees like Al-Basheer Babker al-Basheer, 41, the sight of the city is bittersweet. He described the road to his former university as heartbreaking, noting that the walls are now black and the places he once knew are unrecognizable.
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Chairman of the African Union Commission, expressed hope for a cessation of hostilities, though he admitted that the goal is not yet within reach. Youssouf noted that while global attention is often consumed by crises in Ukraine and Iran, the German-led initiative is a necessary step to ensure the world does not lose sight of the Sudanese people.
The immediate focus now shifts to whether the funding commitments from the Berlin conference can be delivered effectively on the ground, and if the international community can find a diplomatic entry point that Khartoum views as legitimate.
We invite readers to share their perspectives on the international community’s role in the Sudan crisis in the comments below.
