Eduardo González
Spain has committed to contribute two million euros to help Sudan through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), as reported yesterday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, on the occasion of the celebration of the International Conference on this African country.
“Spain maintains its humanitarian commitment,” Albares assured through his official account on the social network X. “Today we announced at the Paris Conference on Sudan a new contribution of two million euros for the country via AECID,” he continued. “We remain committed to Sudan and to respecting International Humanitarian Law,” he concluded.
The Quai d’Orsay, headquarters of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted yesterday the International Conference on Sudan, which coincided with the first anniversary of the outbreak of the war between the army of General Abdel Fatah al Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces ( RSF). As a result of the conflict, thousands of Sudanese have lost their lives, 27 million people – more than half of the population, including 15 million children – need humanitarian aid to survive, one million people are at risk of dying from famine and 8.5 million Sudanese have been forced to move, almost two million outside the country and the rest as internally displaced.
The conference has been co-organized by France, Germany and the European Union, specifically by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, and the Commissioner European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Janez Lenarčič. Spain has been represented by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Eva Granados, according to Foreign Affairs sources informed The Diplomat.
During the day, more than 840 million euros in donations were announced for Sudan. France has committed to contributing 110 million, Germany, 244 million, the European Union, 350 million, and the United States, 138 million euros.
During the opening of the conference, Josep Borrell warned of Russia’s interference in the Sudanese conflict. “Russia is involved in that in some way, as a mediator, but also as an agent. As we say in Spanish: a troubled river, fishermen gain,” he declared. For his part, Séjourné regretted that the conflict in Sudan has been “overshadowed” by the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. “The Sudanese have been victims of forgetfulness and indifference,” he denounced. In the same sense, Annalena Baerbock highlighted that the conference has been relegated due to the worsening of tension in the Middle East after Iran’s attack against Israel.
The conference was not attended by political representatives of either faction. Ministers from Sudan’s neighboring countries (Chad, Libya, Kenya, Djibouti, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia), the Gulf (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia) and Western powers did participate in the closed-door political meeting. (United States, United Kingdom, Norway), in addition to the organizers.
