The European Union and Britain on Tuesday April 15, 2025, pledged new aid to tackle Sudan’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
According to reports, the pledges came ahead of a high-level conference in London, marking two years since Sudan’s war began in April 2023.
Britain said the conference aimed to improve international coordination and response to the prolonged conflict in Sudan.
However, Sudan’s government criticised the meeting, noting no representative from either warring side received an invitation.
The war erupted due to a power struggle between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
It has killed thousands, displaced millions, and caused widespread destruction, particularly in Darfur and surrounding regions.
Foreign powers have also become increasingly entangled in the conflict’s political and humanitarian fallout.
The European Union and its member states pledged 522 million euros, about 592 million dollars, for humanitarian assistance.
Britain announced an additional 120 million pounds, equivalent to 158 million dollars, to support relief efforts.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said global actors must pressure both sides to protect civilians and allow aid delivery.
He addressed delegates, stressing the need for “patient diplomacy” and sustainable peace, not another year of repeated discussions.
Britain co-hosted the event alongside the African Union, the EU, France, and Germany.
Other attendees included Egypt, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates, despite objections from Sudan’s transitional government.
Sudan’s foreign minister criticised their exclusion and opposed the presence of the UAE and Kenya at the conference.
Sudan accuses the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF—claims supported by UN experts and U.S. lawmakers.
Sudan has taken the case against UAE to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The UAE denies the accusation and wants the court to dismiss the case entirely.
Sudan also recalled its envoy to Kenya, following Nairobi’s talks with RSF to form a parallel government.
UAE official Lana Nusseibeh condemned atrocities by both sides and urged unhindered aid access across conflict zones.
She issued a statement calling for urgent peace as Sudan’s war enters its third year.
Britain says 30 million Sudanese need aid, while 12 million have been displaced due to the war.
UNDP’s Sudan representative, Luca Renda, urged a united global response, saying Sudanese citizens are exhausted by the prolonged war.