Sudan’s Humanitarian Catastrophe Demands Urgent Action 

Sudan’s Humanitarian Catastrophe Demands Urgent Action 

Sudan is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today, and one of the worst in modern history. The civil war that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RAF) has triggered unprecedented levels of displacement, food insecurity, and violence. 

More than 9.5 million people have been internally displaced, representing the largest and fastest-growing internal displacement crisis in the world. A further 4.3 million have been made refugees in neighbouring countries. Over 30 million people – more than half the Sudanese population – desperately require humanitarian assistance, with 21 million facing acute food insecurity. Famine has already been declared in the cities of El-Fasher and Kadugli, and several other areas are at risk of famine as conditions across the country rapidly deteriorate. Over 70% of hospitals in Sudan have been destroyed, leaving millions without access to essential medical care and contributing to the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, dengue, and malaria. 

While the death toll remains unknown, estimates suggested that between 150,000 and 400,000 people have been killed since April 2023. Following the RSF’s capture of El-Fasher in October, reports have documented mass killings, arbitrary detentions, and torture of civilians, as well as sexual violence, including the rape of women and girls. A recent report by the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab described El-Fasher as a “slaughterhouse”, concluding that the RSF has “engaged in a systematic multi-week campaign to destroy evidence of its mass killings through burial, burning, and removal of human remains on a mass scale”. As the conflict spreads across Sudan, from Darfur to the Kordofan region, fears are mounting that these atrocities may become more widespread. 

UK Aid to Sudan 

The crisis has escalated against the backdrop of sharp reductions in international aid spending, including by the UK government. Between 2020-21 and 2022-23, when the conflict broke out, UK aid to Sudan declined by 75%. According to the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), “volatility and uncertainly in UK aid to Sudan has undermined trust and hampered forward planning”, leading to several FCDO programmes being paused and leaving vulnerable communities without support. 

Since 2024, the UK has sought to re-establish itself as a key donor to Sudan. Last year, the government designated Sudan as one of its three humanitarian priorities, alongside Gaza and Ukraine, and increased funding by £43.7 million. It has committed £120 million in aid over the coming year and recently announced a further £5 million in emergency funding for survivors of sexual violence and other acutely affected groups. While these commitments are welcome, ICAI warns that “Sudan remains one of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian crises, relative to its needs.” 

The Role and Challenges of INGOs 

Amid significant aid cuts globally, Muslim-led INGOs have played a critical role in delivering aid to the Sudanese people. Islamic Relief, Muslim Aid, and Human Appeal, among others, have providing food packages, clean water, temporary shelter, clothing, medical care, and other forms of lifesaving support to communities across Sudan. 

However, INGOs continue to face several operational barriers that impede humanitarian aid delivery in Sudan. Ongoing fighting, insecurity, and rapidly shifting frontlines of conflict often leave affected areas several hours away from humanitarian access points, making it increasingly difficult to reach those most in need. Restrictions on movement inside Sudan, including regular checkpoints and paid travel permits, slow down operations and increase costs, undermining the efficiency of aid delivery. 

Aid workers often cannot access conflict-stricken areas yet face grave risks to their own safety. This is underscored by the killing of six Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers in a drone attack on a UN base in Kadugli earlier this month, while aid workers have reported being kidnapped and held for ransom by local militias. There have also been widespread instances of looting of humanitarian supplies from aid trucks and hospitals, depriving vulnerable communities of vital aid and further eroding the ability of INGOs to operate safely. These challenges are compounded by a severe funding shortfall, with only 25% of the UN’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan funded as of October 2025, leaving humanitarian needs largely unmet. 

What More Must Be Done? 

MCF calls on the UK government to take urgent action to expand humanitarian funding to Sudan to meet the scale of need, prioritising food security, medical assistance, and protection for displaced populations. This should entail working closely with the UN and other international partners to close the funding gap and ensure that assistance reaches those most at risk. 

Equally, the government must endeavour to widen humanitarian access by exercising its diplomatic influence to ensure safe passage for aid workers and remove barriers to aid delivery. It must also establish meaningful dialogue with INGOs, including Muslim-led charities active in Sudan and the wider region, to practically address the operational challenges they face. Facilitating coordination between government, international bodies, and INGOs is essential to a robust and effective humanitarian response. 

At the same time, the government must support accountability measures to ensure that atrocities in Sudan, including acts potentially amounting to genocide, are independently investigated. This includes holding internal political and military actors, as well as external actors responsible for perpetuating the conflict, to account. The government must also urgently review its arms export policies, guaranteeing that no British military equipment is used in Sudan. 

Ultimately, the UK must engage diplomatically with local, regional, and international actors to promote a sustainable political resolution. Only through a lasting peace can the people of Sudan hope to rebuild their lives and secure a future of peace, security, and dignity.