Top diplomats and international aid groups met in Paris on Monday to seek funding for humanitarian aid in Sudan on the anniversary of the outbreak of war.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a video statement at the meeting that the United Nations’ proposed $2.7 billion humanitarian response plan for Sudan has only received about 6% of funding, while the $1.4 billion regional refugee response plan for Sudan has also been funded. Only about 7% of funding was obtained.
Tensions between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into open fighting in the capital Khartoum a year ago and spread across the country. The United Nations reports that the conflict has killed more than 14,000 people and injured 33,000.
At a press conference opening the conference, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne told reporters that the conflict has left 27 million Sudanese – more than half of the country’s population – in need of humanitarian assistance. He said that 18 million people are severely food insecure and face the threat of famine, and more than 8 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
Initial commitments at Monday’s meeting include $244 million from Germany and more than $377 million from the European Union.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power said in a statement before the meeting that the United States would commit “$100 million in emergency food assistance, nutritional support and other life-saving assistance.”
This latest commitment “brings total U.S. humanitarian assistance since the conflict began to more than $1 billion,” Power said in a statement.
The meeting, which includes a ministerial meeting on political affairs, will also discuss the humanitarian situation in Sudan and will include dozens of representatives of Sudanese civil society, organizers said.
Information for this report was provided in part by The Associated Press, Reuters and AFP.
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