Paris hosts Sudan aid conference one year after start of war

Germany, France and the European Union appealed to the international community on Monday to provide urgent support for Sudan, in light of the catastrophic humanitarian situation that conflict has wrought on the northeast African state.

"If we don't take massive countermeasures now as a global community, Sudan faces a terrible famine catastrophe. In the worst-case scenario, one million people could starve to death this year," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned at an aid conference in Paris.

"We are making it clear today that we will not lose sight of the suffering of the people in Sudan," she added.

A bloody power struggle is raging in Sudan between the forces of Abdel Fattah al-Burha, an army general who is the country's de facto ruler, and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The two generals seized power in a military coup in 2021, but later fell out over internationally-backed plans for Sudan's transition to civilian rule. The RSF's integration into the regular armed forces was an especially contentious issue.

The artillery barrages, rocket fire and airstrikes have affected nearly every corner of the African nation, including the hard-hit capital Khartoum. There has been a dramatic deterioration in the humanitarian situation, with severe shortages of medicines and other essential goods.

In February, the United Nations estimated $4.1 billion was needed in emergency aid for those affected by the conflict. According to Baerbock, only 6% of this has been financed so far.

Food, drinking water, baby food, medicines, clothing, schooling, accommodation and "above all psychological counselling" were all in short supply, Germany's top diplomat said. Refugee camps in southern Sudan were overflowing, with fresh arrivals every day who could not be provided for.

Germany has pledged a sum of €244 million ($260 million) to Sudan and its neighbours this year, Baerbock announced. France promised €110 million this year and the European Commission pledged around €355 million.

One year after civil war erupted in the country, French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said the Sudanese had become victims of being forgotten, in addition to being victims of displacement and hunger.

"Today we are placing a forgotten crisis on the agenda," he added.

Around 20,000 people are newly displaced every day in Sudan, according to UN figures released on Monday to mark one year of civil war in the country.

More than half of them are children and young people, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

"This is the worst child displacement crisis in the world, unfolding before our eyes," Baerbock said.

More than 8.6 million people are estimated to have fled their homes since last April. According to conservative estimates, one in eight global refugees is from Sudan.

Around 2 million have escaped across the border to Chad, South Sudan and Egypt, the IOM said.

"Sudan is on a tragically fast track to becoming one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises in decades," said IOM Director General Amy Pope.

Amnesty International called on the UN Security Council to expand the current weapons embargo on the western region of Darfur to cover the entire country.

In a dire warning last month, the United Nations said that famine conditions were looming for millions of Sudanese. It is "truly the stuff of nightmares," said Edem Wosornu of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Amnesty International said last year it had documented war crimes committed by both sides, including mass civilian casualties in both deliberate and indiscriminate attacks and sexualized violence against women and girls.

The Paris meeting began with political consultations, which more than 20 ministers were expected to attend - in particular from Sudan's neighbouring countries - as well as representatives of key international organizations. The German Foreign Office said a main aim of the discussion was to better coordinate various mediation efforts.