Three years into a cycle of war, destruction, and atrocities, this is a moment of great concern for Sudan and the entire region.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is catastrophic. Hunger and malnutrition are soaring. International humanitarian law is being violated. Civilians face growing threats. Conflict-related sexual violence is rising. Disease outbreaks are spreading. Humanitarian access is being blocked at every turn.
What is happening in Darfur and the Kordofan is particularly shocking, especially the horrific attacks on civilians by the Rapid Support Forces during their capture of El Fasher and Bara last month.
Thousands of civilians in El Fasher killed on ethnic grounds in house-to-house raids; mass detentions; people unable to leave the city; men separated, tortured, and killed; women and girls facing sexual- and gender-based violence; even community kitchen workers targeted and killed.
High Representative Kallas and I issued a Joint Statement on 28 October. I also co-signed a Joint Statement coordinated by Norway on 10 November on the situation in El Fasher. Just last week, following the Foreign Affairs Council, the High Representative issued a Statement on behalf of the 27 Member States condemning the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and calling for full accountability.
Foreign Ministers adopted sanctions against the second in command of the RSF for human rights violations and called on the parties to resume negotiations to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire.
The EU calls for concrete measures to protect civilians, including humanitarian workers, and for immediate humanitarian access to reach those in need. Engaging with the parties to the conflict is essential. Outreach and adequate pressure to the external actors of the conflict is of the essence. Considering the work of the Quad (UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and US), we must take into account all interests and regional actors, including Türkiye.
The RSF continues to block humanitarian assistance from reaching the city. Recent reports indicate that over 100,000 people have fled El Fasher in the past month. Only a small number have reached Tawila, where humanitarian organisations provide food, water, sanitation, healthcare, and psychosocial support.
Many of those organisations receive EU funding. The most recent support was an emergency €1 million allocation earlier this month but needs far exceed the resources.
The fate of roughly 160,000 people remains unknown. The picture is just as dire in other parts of the country. In the Kordafan states, security and humanitarian conditions are deteriorating fast.
We are deeply concerned about the mass displacement and attacks on civilians in Bara and El Obeid and the continued attacks by the RSF and their allied forces on Kadugli and Dilling. Three weeks ago, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed that Sudan remains one of the worlds largest and most severe food crises, with more than 21 million people facing acute food insecurity.
Despite the enormous needs, humanitarian space continues to shrink in Sudan. It has become one of the deadliest places in the world for aid workers. Since the war began in April 2023, more than 120 humanitarian staff have been killed, almost all of them Sudanese. My thoughts are with them and their families. Humanitarian workers can never be targets.
Across the country, bureaucratic barriers continue to block humanitarian assistance. We reiterate our call to all parties for safe, full, and unhindered access for humanitarian organisations.
Responding to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan remains a priority for the European Commission. We are using every tool we have: funding, air bridges and sea freight, and humanitarian diplomacy.
This year, we allocated €273.3 million to the humanitarian response for the Sudan crisis, including €161 million for Sudan only. This is the largest EU humanitarian envelope in Africa. This includes a recent €1 million allocation to support people fleeing El Fasher.
Since 2023, EU humanitarian aid to Sudan has increased every year. Between 2023 and 2025, we have made available nearly €700 million for the Sudan crisis and neighbouring countries, including €435 million for Sudan alone. These figures are significant, but the funding gap remains huge. The 2025 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 32% funded. We count on the Parliaments continued support.
EU support goes beyond funding. On advocacy, we have hosted or co-hosted key events since the crisis began, such as Humanitarian Senior Official Meetings held in Brussels in March 2024 and March 2025; the Paris and London ministerial conferences in April 2024 and April 2025; and a ministerial event at the UN General Assembly last September.
We also maintain a regular presence in Sudan to monitor EU-funded operations and meet our humanitarian partners. We also support humanitarian partners across the country, based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. Neutrality means we channel aid to those most affected, wherever they are, regardless of who controls the territory.
Sudan has become a living nightmare for its people and a humanitarian catastrophe. Our funding, advocacy, and concrete actions remain essential to easing the suffering. The EU will continue to stand with the people of Sudan.
