London – The European Union and Britain pledged on Tuesday to increase aid to Sudan ahead of a conference in London marking two years since the outbreak of the conflict that has caused the displacement of millions and devastation across the country.
The war erupted between the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, on April 15, 2023, against the backdrop of a power struggle between the former allies. The Sudanese army describes the conflict as a rebellion by the RSF militias, dashing hopes for a transition to civilian rule. The war has divided the country into competing zones of control and created one of the worst humanitarian crises in years.
Since then, the conflict has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people, the displacement of millions, and the destruction of regions such as Darfur. Several foreign powers have become involved in the conflict.
Britain said the conference is an opportunity to strengthen the international response to the crisis, but the Sudanese government criticized the event for not inviting either party to the conflict to participate.
This initiative was met with criticism from Sudan due to the lack of an invitation for its government to join the talks.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the international community must persuade both parties to the conflict to protect civilians and allow aid access, expressing hope that the conference would lay down principles for future action.
He told delegates at the start of the conference, “We need patient diplomacy… We cannot resign ourselves to an inevitable conflict. We cannot return here, a year from now, to have the same discussion.”
The conference is co-hosted by London, the African Union, the European Union, France, and Germany. Among the participating countries are Egypt, Kenya, the UAE, and Chad.
Sudan’s foreign minister sent a letter to Lammy complaining about Sudan’s exclusion and criticizing the presence of the UAE and Kenya.
Sudan accuses the UAE of arming the RSF, an allegation found credible by UN experts and US lawmakers, and which has led to a lawsuit against the Gulf state at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The UAE has denied the accusation and called for the case to be dismissed.
Sudan also recalled its envoy to Kenya after it hosted talks between the RSF and its allies to form a parallel government.
The European Union and its member states pledged more than 522 million euros ($592 million) to address the crisis, while Britain announced an additional £120 million ($158 million) in aid.
Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, said both sides are committing atrocities and pointed to deliberate obstruction of aid access.
In a statement, she added, “As the devastating war in Sudan enters its third year, the United Arab Emirates issues an urgent call for peace.”
Organizers hope the conference will draw attention to the conflict. Britain says 30 million people are in urgent need of aid due to the conflict, and 12 million have been displaced.
A UN agency noted today that rape is being systematically used as a weapon of war in Sudan.
Luca Renda, the UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan, told reporters there is hope for “a more coordinated and coherent approach from the international community,” adding, “the Sudanese people are tired of this war.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement, “The greatest humanitarian disaster of our time is unfolding before the world’s eyes.”
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi warned Tuesday that “continuing to turn a blind eye to the situation in Sudan, where the war has entered its third year, will have ‘catastrophic consequences’ for the country and the region.”
Grandi said, “We must do everything we can to restore peace to Sudan,” also warning Europeans of a potential influx of Sudanese refugees if sufficient aid is not provided.
Germany announced it would allocate an additional 125 million euros for humanitarian aid.
On Monday, Baerbock said this funding would allow humanitarian organizations to provide food and medicine to war victims and help “stabilize the situation in neighboring countries” that “have reached the limits of their capacity.”
Baerbock added, “Death is a constant reality in large parts of Sudan,” describing the conflict as “the greatest humanitarian disaster of our time.”
Human Rights Watch said conference organizers should “urgently seek to protect civilians and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access,” calling for “concrete commitments” such as deploying a mission to protect civilians.
ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric warned that civilians in Sudan are “trapped in an endless nightmare of death and destruction.”
The committee warned of “catastrophic consequences if the war continues into a third year.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed “great concern over the continued flow of weapons and fighters into Sudan.”
Lammy had previously announced a separate aid package worth £113 million last November and visited the Sudan-Chad border in January.
However, this support comes at a time when the British government faces sharp criticism for cutting the foreign aid budget to cover increased defense spending.
Despite Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge to maintain aid to Sudanese civilians as a top priority, the development minister recently resigned, expressing doubts about the ability to maintain aid priorities under current financial constraints and warning that these cuts would harm Britain’s long-term reputation.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing Sudanese victims today submitted a 141-page file to the UK’s war crimes unit, detailing alleged war crimes committed by the RSF.
The lawyers called for the file to be referred to the International Criminal Court, which is responsible for atrocities committed in Darfur, expressing hope that this step would encourage closer cooperation between British and international judicial bodies to ensure accountability for these crimes.
Despite the efforts and announced aid, debate continues over the effectiveness of the London conference in the absence of the Sudanese parties directly involved in the conflict.
While Britain and the international community seek to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis, observers believe that any sustainable solutions or real progress toward peace require the active and direct participation of the Sudanese government and the RSF.
This absence raises questions about the conference’s ability to address the root causes of the crisis and ensure effective and impartial delivery of aid to all those in need, especially amid mutual accusations between the warring parties and the impact on humanitarian operations.
Al-Yara’ – Reuters, Agencies
