Last month marks three years of immense suffering for the people of Sudan. Since conflict broke out between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, staggering levels of violence have been inflicted on civilians. Famine has been declared, and tens of thousands of children are estimated to have died from malnutrition.
The United Nations calls it the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, and the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire is worsening by the day.
It is clear there is no military solution—no decisive victory by any armed actor capable of bringing peace. Sudan’s recent history shows that military takeovers only entrench divisions and sow the seeds of future conflict, deepening cycles of violence and instability.
In this war against civilians, more than 150,000 people have died. Half the population—twenty-five million people—are hungry or starving. Large parts of the country are under siege, with food used as a weapon as supplies are blocked and infrastructure destroyed. The current war in the Middle East, which is driving up the cost of food, fuel, and fertiliser, will only deepen the catastrophe.
As Sudan’s rural economy collapses, poverty and unemployment have surged, especially among young people. Hungry and desperate, with few options for survival, they become more susceptible to recruitment by armed groups, extremism, and irregular migration.
More than twelve million people have been internally displaced and more than four million refugees in the neighbouring countries. Weak, malnourished women and children fleeing violence are targeted with sexual violence and torture.
The malnutrition crisis not only has immediate and deadly effects but also has long-term implications for the future of Sudan, with children—the country’s future—bearing the greatest burden. Malnutrition harms the brain, body, and immune system, impacting individual development, reducing economic productivity, and undermining Sudan’s prospects. A lasting ceasefire is urgently required to enable farmers to return to their land and to provide unfettered humanitarian access to food, medical supplies, and lifesaving treatments such as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and antenatal vitamins.
But only a complete end to the war—and a sustainable peace—will restore the country’s stability, feed its people, and build a better future for all. This can only be achieved through a negotiated political settlement that addresses the root causes of the conflict and creates the conditions for a peaceful, democratic transition led by Sudan’s civilian population of over 50 million people.
For those who may wonder why a UK audience should be interested in Sudan, a glance at the map offers part of the answer. Sudan borders seven countries, and its Red Sea coastline lies along one of the world’s most important shipping routes—its significance underscored further by recent disruptions to maritime trade routes in the region. Sudan’s conflict has unavoidable geopolitical implications.
As the penholder for Sudan at the United Nations Security Council, the UK has a particular responsibility to focus attention on this humanitarian catastrophe. I therefore welcome the UK government’s recent engagement on Sudan, including high-level visits to the region, and calls for urgent global collaboration to secure a ceasefire.
After three long years of war and hunger, we need these words to be matched by urgent action from the international community. It has a responsibility to support Sudan because this war is an attack on humanity. What is at stake is not only Sudan’s future, but the credibility of our collective commitment to protect human life and pursue peace.
