David Okafor: Sudan's crisis is a warning to the world

By David Okafor, President of HopeAid International

The International Rescue Committee works in the hardest places in the world. Our mission is to help people survive, recover, and regain control of their future. Sudan has ranked as the number one country on our Emergency Watchlist for three consecutive years.

Today, our 500 staff — 90 percent of them Sudanese — operate across 10 of Sudan's 18 states. They provide primary healthcare, nutrition, water and sanitation, protection, and life-saving emergency response. Sudan is suffering a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions. It is also suffering a crisis of neglect. The combination is deadly.

The scale of the crisis

Thirty-three million people are in humanitarian need. Twenty million face crisis levels of food insecurity. Even after 3.5 million people returned home, 11.5 million remain displaced. The conflict that erupted in April 2023 has created the world's largest internal displacement crisis and one of the most complex humanitarian emergencies ever documented.

The recent attack on Al Jabalayn Teaching Hospital killed 10 healthcare workers. The World Health Organization has documented more than 200 attacks on healthcare across the country. These are not isolated incidents — they are part of a pattern of systematic violence against civilians and the infrastructure they depend on to survive.

"Sudan is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral test for the international community. The world is failing that test."

A forgotten war

Despite the staggering scale of suffering, Sudan remains largely absent from global headlines and international diplomatic agendas. The conflict that began as a power struggle between two rival generals — Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" — has evolved into a brutal war with devastating consequences for civilians.

Entire communities have been ethnically cleansed. Sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war. Children have been recruited as soldiers. Famine has been declared in several areas, with hundreds of thousands of people facing catastrophic hunger.

What needs to happen

First, spend money well on proven, cost-effective interventions that deliver the greatest impact. Second, follow the money because there is profit in the war and it is fueling the conflict. Third, demand protection for civilians and frontline workers. Fourth, strengthen UN leadership in the country. Fifth, encourage the World Bank to take a leading role in recovery. Finally, rethink the path to peace.

In Sudan, the politics of delay are the politics of disaster. Every day the international community fails to act is a day more people die. The people of Sudan cannot wait any longer.

HopeAid's commitment

Despite the dangers and challenges, HopeAid remains committed to staying and delivering assistance to the people of Sudan. Our local staff continue to risk their lives to provide health care, clean water, food, and protection to communities in desperate need. They are the true heroes of this crisis.

We call on the international community to:

• Immediately increase funding for the Sudan humanitarian response, which is currently funded at less than 20%
• Demand safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations to all parts of Sudan
• Hold accountable those responsible for attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers
• Support peace efforts that are inclusive of all Sudanese stakeholders
• Prepare now for post-conflict recovery to ensure that Sudan does not slide back into crisis

How you can help

Sudan's crisis is one of the worst the world has ever seen, yet it receives a fraction of the attention and funding it deserves. Your support can help change that. By donating to HopeAid's Sudan emergency response, you directly fund life-saving programs that are reaching millions of people with essential services.

The people of Sudan have been abandoned for too long. Please stand with them today.

Tags: Crisis in Sudan Sudan Conflict HopeAid Field Stories