Albares warns that Sudan is suffering “the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet” on the third anniversary of the conflict

Eduardo González Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has reiterated that Sudan is experiencing “the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet” and has called on the parties, on the third anniversary of the start of the conflict, to “implement a ceasefire, protect civilians, and respect international humanitarian law.” “Three years have passed since the start of the conflict in Sudan, today the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet,” Albares wrote this Wednesday, April 15th, via social media, marking the second anniversary of the start of the conflict, which erupted in April 2013 in the capital, Khartoum, between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces. Three years after the start of the conflict, more than 13 million people have been forcibly displaced, 33.7 million need assistance, and famine has been confirmed in several regions. “A ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and respect for international humanitarian law are urgently needed,” he continued. “Spain will continue to contribute to alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people and to the search for a lasting political solution,” he concluded. For its part, the European Union, along with Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the African Union, co-organized the Third International Conference on Sudan in Berlin on Wednesday with the aim of mobilizing international action to alleviate the effects of the crisis, demand an end to hostilities, and chart a path toward a democratic and peaceful future led by civilians in Sudan. During the meeting, international donors announced contributions of around €1.5 billion, including more than €811 million from the European Union and its member states. Of the total EU aid, the European Commission's contribution amounts to €360.8 million, of which €215.5 million will be used to support people in need in Sudan and €145.3 million to respond to the regional refugee crisis caused by the war in countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Uganda, Egypt, and Libya. The remaining Team Europe funding was provided by Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden. The Third International Conference on Sudan brought together ministers and representatives from 55 states, including neighboring countries and donor nations, as well as representatives from regional organizations such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the League of Arab States. Also participating were the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to Sudan, officials from agencies such as OCHA, UNHCR, WHO, WFP, IOM, UNFPA, and UNDP, the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as representatives from the World Bank and the African Development Bank, along with 38 international and Sudanese non-governmental organizations. Members of Sudan’s Emergency Response Teams also participated to share their experiences in the context of the humanitarian crisis. The so-called Quintet on Sudan, comprised of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States, the European Union, and the United Nations, adopted a joint declaration in which it reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating an inclusive, Sudanese-led, inter-Sudanese political dialogue, expressed its deep concern about the continuing deterioration of the situation in Sudan, stressed the urgent need to reduce violence to prevent further suffering and destruction and to ensure the protection of the civilian population and critical national infrastructure, reaffirmed its full respect for Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, rejected any attempt to undermine these principles, and called for support for de-escalation efforts and the creation of conditions conducive to a lasting and negotiated peace.

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