By Prakhar Rajiv
Sudan, the African continent’s third largest country, has long remained a wreckage of civil wars, dictatorships and other conflicts, however, the already dire humanitarian crisis in the country has not been as parlous as it is now. Recently, the World Food Programme warned that Sudan could soon become the site of “the world’s largest hunger crisis” without a cessation of hostilities. Khartoum, the Capital of Sudan, which was also titled the Arab Capital of Culture in 2005, is now the kernel of the dreadful Sudanese Civil War.
The humanitarian situation is Sudan was already precarious prior to the current civil war, the nation has had two prolonged ones from 1955 – 1972 and 1983 – 2005, with an estimated 15 million people facing food insecurity and more than 3.7 million internally displaced. Sudan was under the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir for over three decades ending 2019, when in a coup d’état by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) overthrew Bashir’s regime. Sudan’s interim government consisting of the Transitional Military Council and the Forces of Freedom and Change was toppled in a second coup by the SAF and the RSF. Heightening international pressure towards democratic transition in the country, which required the integration of RSF into the national army, triggered a violent revolt from the Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemediti, led RSF, spurring a civil war that is now unravelling the country’s gravest humanitarian crisis. The conflict between Hemediti led RSF and the former Chairman of the Transitional Military Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is the de facto leader of the country and the SAF, has led to over 8.6 million people being forcibly displaced and over fifteen thousand confirmed civilian deaths. The United Nations (UN) has stated that Sudan in currently experiencing the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. It is also noteworthy that the country also hosts refugees from South
Sudan, over 500,000, that discerns the extremely inflammatory dynamic of Sudan and the region. UN estimated pique Sudan’s vulnerable people to be more than 25 million, or more than half of the country’s population, that are in need of aid and protection.
Hospitals, schools, prisons and other public facilities in dense residential areas have been targets of the ongoing conflict. The menacing situation of the civil war has sparked fresh fears of susceptibility to disease such as cholera, dengue and malaria that are already prevailing as millions reel from inaccessibility to clean water. Moreover, the probability of tensions in Sudan spiralling across borders are becoming increasingly viable. Five of the seven countries bordering Sunday have recently suffered internal conflict, depicting the region’s vulnerability to further hostilities. If such a scenario of wider conflict were to unfold then it would severely undermine international efforts towards stability in northeastern and the Horn of Africa region. The displacement of millions
exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities. Sudan already faced food insecurity, economic hardship, and limited access to healthcare. The conflict disrupted agricultural production, severed supply chains, and hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid. Millions now struggle to access basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. Children are particularly vulnerable. Many are separated from their families, exposed to violence, and deprived of education. Disease outbreaks pose another significant threat, as basic sanitation and hygiene standards deteriorate in overcrowded displacement camps.
Darfur, a region in Sudan that has been reeling under conflict since the early 2000s, the scenes of devastation are severely tormenting. Fears of ethnic cleansing have resurfaced, with reports of targeted attacks against ethnic minorities like the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa. This has triggered a new wave of displacement, adding to the existing population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the previous conflict. Many are hesitant to return to their villages due to ongoing insecurity. Darfur’s economy heavily relies on agriculture and herding. The conflict has disrupted agricultural production due to displacement and fear of venturing into fields. Livestock theft, a hallmark of the previous conflict, has also resurfaced, impacting communities further. Clashes have also damaged vital infrastructure such as water points, schools, and healthcare facilities. This hinders access to
clean water, sanitation, and healthcare, jeopardizing public health and education. Many existing IDP camps in Darfur were already overcrowded and struggling to meet basic needs. The influx of new displaced populations puts immense strain on already limited resources.
In midst of the colossal calamity that clouds Sudan, it seems the world is already occupied with its fair share of war and destruction, or perhaps one could easily argue, inordinate share of war and destruction. The War in Ukraine, in Gaza and now the prospects of a wider conflict in the Middle East involving Iran and Israel has kept the international community occupied. It has exposed a rather unfortunate gap between the ability of the international order to sustain and focus on conflicts than the excessively wider scale on which they are transpiring right now. Moreover, wide stream coverage of events in Ukraine and Gaza dwarf those of in Sudan, indicating the continued negation of Africa in the global consciousness and affairs.
The UN figures of aid and support to over 2 million people is vastly inadequate to the desired 25 million that are in dire need for it. Furthermore, the conflict has forced the UN and other aid organisation to scale back their in-country operations. Wad Madani, a critical aid hub, was vacated by the World Food Program upon the city’s capture by the RSF. While, support for Ukraine and relevant funding provision have evoked passionate reactions from across the political and civic spectrum, the UN’s appeal for $2.7 billion worth of aid for Sudan in only 6% funded. At a recently concluded international conference in Paris on the two years “forgotten war” in Sudan was successful in raising over 2 billion euros in assistance. However, the French government is yet to provide a detailed timeline of the breakdown of the funds. It is worth contemplating the ramifications and the severity the international community attaches to Sudan as it remembered again the devastating conflict going on for over two years.
The only international attention that has come Sudan’s way is from Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States that have sought to either arm or support one or the other of the two conflicting forces.
The crisis shows limited signs of abating. Peace talks have stalled, and a return to full-scale conflict remains a possibility. Resolving the power struggle between the military and paramilitary groups is crucial for ending the violence and establishing a stable government. Sudan’s future hinges on a multi-pronged approach. An immediate ceasefire and a commitment to peaceful negotiations are essential first steps. Holding those responsible for human rights abuses accountable can help foster reconciliation. The international community must provide sustained and robust humanitarian assistance to address the immediate needs of displaced populations. Additionally, long-term
development assistance is needed to rebuild infrastructure, revitalize the economy, and address the root causes of conflict.