The UK-EU Sudan aid conference 2024, held in London, has pledged over €522 million ($592 million) in European Union support and £120 million ($158 million) in additional UK funding to address Sudan’s worsening humanitarian catastrophe.
The pledges were announced ahead of the second anniversary of the brutal civil conflict that has left millions displaced and tens of thousands dead.
Hosted jointly by the UK, the European Union, the African Union, France, and Germany, the high-level summit aimed to coordinate a stronger international response to the crisis. However, Sudan’s government has condemned the gathering due to the absence of official representatives from either side of the conflict.
Sudan Conflict Enters Third Year Amid Mounting Civilian Toll
The war in Sudan began in April 2023, sparked by a violent power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting has devastated large parts of the country, particularly the Darfur region, and derailed hopes for a transition to civilian-led governance.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy opened the conference with a call for urgent diplomatic engagement. “We cannot resign ourselves to inevitable conflict,” Lammy told delegates. “Patient diplomacy is essential to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access.”
Despite the pledges, Sudan’s foreign ministry criticised the conference for excluding Sudanese representation and allowing the participation of the UAE and Kenya. Sudan accuses the UAE of arming the RSF—a claim supported by UN experts and US lawmakers. The case is now before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, though the UAE has denied the allegations and called for dismissal of the case.
Legal Moves and Global Appeals for Justice
Amid continued violence, lawyers representing Sudanese victims submitted a 141-page dossier to UK police on Tuesday, outlining alleged RSF war crimes. The file requests that the case be referred to the International Criminal Court, which holds jurisdiction over crimes committed in Darfur.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warned that rape is being systematically used as a weapon of war. “This is the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of our time,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement, urging immediate global attention.
Global Leaders Call for Peace and Unified Action
Lana Nusseibeh, assistant minister at the UAE foreign ministry, acknowledged atrocities by both sides and said aid was being deliberately obstructed. “As Sudan’s devastating war enters its third year, the United Arab Emirates issues an urgent call for peace,” she stated.
The UK said over 30 million people in Sudan are in urgent need of assistance, with more than 12 million forcibly displaced. Organisers hope the UK-EU Sudan aid conference 2024 will pave the way for a more coordinated global approach to peacebuilding and humanitarian relief.
UNDP’s Luca Renda echoed this sentiment: “The Sudanese people are tired of this war. The time for a unified international response is now.”
