International donors pledged $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid for Sudan on Wednesday as the devastating civil war marked its third anniversary, with no viable path to peace and a humanitarian catastrophe that has displaced 11 million people.
The funding commitment emerged from a donor conference in Berlin attended by more than 60 delegations and a dozen foreign ministers, though neither of Sudan's warring parties was invited to participate. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the anniversary "a tragic milestone in a conflict that has shattered a country of immense promise."
"This nightmare must end," Guterres said in a video message to the conference. "The consequences are not confined to Sudan. They are destabilising the wider region."
The war erupted in April 2023 when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after a long-simmering power struggle. What began as a political dispute has evolved into a full-scale civil war with no clear military victor and increasingly sophisticated weaponry, including widespread drone strikes that have killed hundreds of civilians since January.
Sudan's rejection of the international conference highlights the diplomatic paralysis surrounding the conflict. The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the Berlin meeting as a "colonial tutelage approach," criticizing Western leaders for not consulting with Khartoum and attempting to impose their agenda.
"We will not accept that countries and regional and international organisations convene to decide on its affairs and bypass the Sudanese government under the pretext of neutrality," the ministry stated, warning that "equating the government and its national army with a criminal, multinational terrorist militia" would undermine regional and international security.
The government's stance reflects a broader pattern that has stalled ceasefire efforts. Khartoum consistently demands that RSF fighters withdraw from territories they control — a precondition that the paramilitary force has rejected. For Sudan's military leadership, engaging in negotiations that place the RSF on equal footing risks legitimizing what they consider an illegitimate armed group.
African Union officials who attended the conference acknowledged the scale of destruction while calling for unified efforts toward a ceasefire. They also expressed concern about divisions within Sudan's civilian opposition, including civil society groups and political parties, complicating any potential peace process.
The humanitarian crisis has reached staggering proportions. Nearly 34 million people inside Sudan need humanitarian assistance, according to Guterres, while more than 4.5 million have fled to neighboring countries, including over one million to Chad alone. The displacement has created the largest refugee crisis in the region, straining resources across the Horn of Africa.
Host German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced his country's contribution of 212 million euros ($250 million) in humanitarian aid, thanking other donors for their pledges. However, the funding falls short of the UN's $1.6 billion appeal to support refugees across the region, and analysts estimate the multi-year crisis will require billions more in sustained support.
