The United Nations calls for urgent global action to save lives in Sudan

The call came in a joint statement issued by officials from the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF and the World Food Program at the conclusion of a recent visit to Sudan, where they witnessed the devastating impact of the crisis across the country, including Darfur, Khartoum and other areas affected by the conflict.

Sudan is facing one of the most severe emergencies in the world, with more than 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 9.6 million internally displaced people and nearly 15 million children.

About 2.6 million people returned to their homes after the fighting subsided in Khartoum and other parts of the country. Since the beginning of 2025, more than one million people have returned to Khartoum alone.

The scale of the return to Khartoum is both a sign of resilience and a warning, said Oguchi Daniels, deputy director-general for operations at the International Organization for Migration, who has just returned from a visit to Sudan.

added: “I met people returning to a city (Khartoum) still scarred by conflict, where homes are damaged and basic services are barely functioning. Their determination to rebuild is admirable, but life remains incredibly fragile. Across Sudan, cholera, dengue and malaria are spreading, making investment in clean water, health care and other basic services even more urgent so that people can start over.”

Access challenges

Access to the most affected populations remains severely restricted. Humanitarian actors face insecurity, bureaucratic barriers, and logistical challenges that make delivering life-saving aid extremely difficult.

“This is one of the worst protection crises we have seen in decades,” Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, said after visiting displacement sites in Port Sudan and outside Khartoum, noting that millions are displaced inside and outside the country, and returning families have little support in the absence of other options.

Follow up: “I spoke with families who recently fled El Fasher with horrific stories of being forced to leave everything behind and take dangerous routes. Support is needed everywhere.”

In turn, Ted Chaiban, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, said: “What I witnessed in Darfur and elsewhere this week is a stark reminder of what is at stake: children face hunger, disease, the collapse of basic services, suffer from malnutrition, are exposed to violence, and risk death from preventable diseases.

Families are doing everything they can to survive, showing extraordinary determination in the face of unimaginable hardships. “It is clear that the United Nations and partners are responding, but the determination of families must be matched by urgent global action to secure access, mobilize resources, and ultimately stop the conflict.”

Lack of funding and a shared call to action

Lack of funding exacerbates the crisis. Sudan’s $4.2 billion 2025 humanitarian response plan continues to face a severe funding shortfall of only 25 percent, threatening the scope and continuity of emergency operations.

Despite the enormous challenges, the humanitarian response in Sudan has reached more than 13.5 million people so far this year – including in the most affected areas of Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Gezira. But without additional resources, humanitarian agencies will be forced to scale back life-saving interventions, putting millions of lives at risk.

Valerie Guarnieri, Assistant Executive Director of the World Food Programme, said: “I saw a city devastated by war, where families returning to Khartoum urgently needed food, water and basic services. But above all, I saw determination and a desire to rebuild and start life again. I saw hope.”

Urgent demands

The four UN agencies called for the following:

⬅️An immediate cessation of hostilities and the protection of civilians, especially children.

⬅️Unhindered humanitarian access to all affected populations, including a United Nations presence throughout the country.

⬅️Simplifying procedures for delivering aid and movement of employees.

⬅️Urgent and flexible financing to scale up life-saving interventions.

⬅️Support durable solutions for displaced populations, including returnees and host communities.

⬅️Continuing support for internally displaced populations and nearly 900,000 refugees inside Sudan in need of international protection and services.