Increasing International Efforts to Support Sudan Amid Humanitarian Crises
Sudan Events – Agencies
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed recent developments in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio. They exchanged views on these issues and the ongoing efforts to address them in a manner that promotes international peace and security.
This came during their meeting at the U.S. State Department in Washington on Wednesday, where they discussed ways to intensify coordination and joint action on regional and international matters of mutual concern.
Prince Faisal and Rubio also reviewed the strategic relations between the two countries and opportunities to enhance and develop them across various sectors.
The meeting was attended by Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al-Farhan, Political Advisor to the Minister, and Mohammed Al-Yahya, Advisor to the Minister.
The Saudi Foreign Minister arrived in Washington on Tuesday for an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and discussing key regional and international developments and the efforts being made to address them.
This visit precedes another planned visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia in May, which would be his first overseas trip during his second term.
As the humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues and the basic needs of the population increase—both within the country and in neighboring states—the importance of international efforts to support the Sudanese people in their ongoing ordeal since the outbreak of the conflict in 2023 continues to grow.
Reports indicate that Sudan is in urgent need of humanitarian aid, including food, healthcare, shelter, and education, especially with the rising number of affected individuals and refugees inside and outside the country.
Humanitarian Organizations
Last year, humanitarian organizations reached over 15.6 million people across Sudan, supported by $1.8 billion in aid. This assistance included food and livelihood support for over 13 million people, as well as aid in water, sanitation, hygiene, healthcare, nutrition, and shelter.
In neighboring countries, humanitarian organizations provided life-saving assistance—delivering food to more than one million people, medical support to half a million people, and protection services to over 800,000 individuals.
Deteriorating Conditions
In this context, Saudi Arabia has provided support to Sudan since the onset of the humanitarian crisis, contributing over $3 billion, including $132 million in humanitarian aid distributed across various geographical areas and sectors. These efforts were part of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, which had previously focused on more sustainable interventions prior to the outbreak of the crisis in April 2023.
The center noted earlier that the worsening humanitarian situation due to the conflict had undermined previous gains, necessitating a return to immediate aid. Since April 2023, the center has doubled its efforts in Sudan, implementing more than 70 humanitarian projects at a cost exceeding $73 million, in cooperation with UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations.
