Berlin Conference co-hosts pledge €1.5bn humanitarian aid, and that ‘Sudan will not become a forgotten crisis’

The co-hosts of the Third International Conference on Sudan that was held in Berlin today, have pledged €1.5bn, including €750mn from the European Union and its Member States, “to respond to humanitarian needs in Sudan and neighbouring countries who continue to take in large numbers of people seeking refuge within their borders”.

Following the conclusion of the conference, in which some 40 political and civilian figures took part, Sudan’s warring parties were notably absent, representatives of co-hosts Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the African Union, and the European Union, issued a joint statement.

They listed that the conference brought together ministers and representatives of 55 States, including neighbouring and regional countries and donors; representatives of regional organisations such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the League of Arab States; the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Sudan, the leaders or representatives of many United Nations programmes and agencies, including OCHA, the UNHCR, WHO, the WFP, the IOM, UNFPA and UNDP; the General Secretary of the International Committee of the Red Cross; representatives of the World Bank and the African Development Bank as well as 38 international and Sudanese NGOs. They as along with members of Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, shared their stories of tremendous resilience and courage that is needed to serve in the midst of the most severe humanitarian crisis of our times.

Participants gathered to focus on shared goals: calling on the warring parties to put an end to the hostilities, to immediately comply with international humanitarian law, to guarantee full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to the whole Sudanese territory, including through cross border operations, as well as to remove all bureaucratic impediments to the delivery of urgently needed assistance, to commit to the protection of civilians and to safeguard the implementation of humanitarian operations. Sustained humanitarian access cannot be made contingent on a humanitarian truce or ceasefire agreement. Participants also mobilised essential funding required for the humanitarian response in Sudan and neighbouring countries.

The conference foregrounded Sudanese civilian voices, providing a dedicated platform to amplify their collective call for de-escalation and progress toward a political resolution of the conflict. Delegates discussed the launch of an intra-Sudanese political dialogue that could pave the way to a civilian led transition in Sudan once a permanent ceasefire will be concluded. We see this process as fundamental to ensure an inclusive, civilian and democratic future for Sudan. This civilian engagement is intended to complement ongoing international mediation efforts, including the work of the Quad on a ceasefire and the Quintet’s consultations in support of an eventual inter-Sudanese political dialogue.

The co-hosts underline that Sudan is the world’s most severe humanitarian emergency. Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the African Union, and the European Union express their solidarity with and support for the Sudanese civilian population, the primary victims of this war. They urge that war crimes or crimes against humanity must be promptly and impartially investigated, with those responsible for international crimes and atrocities brought to justiceand urge an end to all external support to the warring parties that continues to prolong the conflict and suffering.

The statement commend the work of international and local humanitarian organisations including Sudanese mutual aid groups and Emergency Response Rooms to support populations in the hardest to reach areas of Sudan and the efforts of neighbouring States to take in large numbers of people seeking refuge within their borders. Local first line responders are most exposed to risks while trying to reach people in need.

The statement confirms that international donors today announced that they will provide around €1.5bn, including €750mn from the European Union and its Member States, to respond to humanitarian needs in Sudan and neighbouring countries who continue to take in large numbers of people seeking refuge within their borders.

“We commit today that our collective efforts to ensure that Sudan does not become a forgotten crisis will continue steadfastly and we urge all our partners to step up their efforts to bring the conflict to an end,” the co-hosts conclude.