Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 - Executive Summary (Issued December 2024)

Foreword by the Humanitarian Coordinator

Since April 2023, Sudan has endured an unprecedented humanitarian crisis due to the ongoing devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Over half the population now needs urgent humanitarian and protection assistance, including 16 million children. Acute food insecurity has reached historic levels, with famine conditions confirmed in parts of North Darfur and millions at immediate risk of famine, particularly in conflict-affected regions of Darfur, Khartoum, and Kordofan.

More than 8 million people have been displaced internally since the conflict, making Sudan the world's largest internal displacement crisis, while over 3 million have fled to neighbouring countries. Basic services have collapsed, vaccination rates have plummeted, and violence—including sexual and gender-based violence—has reached horrifying levels. Women and children are disproportionately affected, with millions out of school and experiencing or at grave risk of abuse and exploitation.

In April 2024, the UN and its partners launched a Famine Prevention Plan to scale up lifesaving aid, cash assistance, and community-based interventions, while advocating for expanded humanitarian access. Despite operating in one of the world’s most challenging environments, humanitarian actors have reached 12.7 million people with critical assistance in 2024.

The gravity of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan underscores the urgent need for conflict de-escalation and unrestricted humanitarian access, including across borders and conflict lines, to fight famine and enable broader humanitarian action. We call on all parties to facilitate this access and ensure the protection of humanitarian operations on the ground. We also urge the international community to provide immediate, additional, and flexible funding. This support is crucial for enabling humanitarian partners to expand critical lifesaving aid, including cash assistance, and protection services to those in desperate need.

As we move into 2025, sustained and expanded efforts will be essential to address the impact of this escalating crisis. The 2025 Humanitarian Needs Response Plan seeks US$4.2 billion to deliver lifesaving aid to almost 21 million most vulnerable people, restore basic services, and scale-up protection.

The centrality of protection must remain at the forefront of the humanitarian response in Sudan, ensuring vulnerable populations are shielded from further harm, while addressing pervasive risks of abuse, exploitation, and violence. It will continue to be integrated across all sectors to uphold the dignity, safety, and rights of those affected by the crisis, in particular women and girls. Without urgent collective action, the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate, exacerbating the suffering of millions of people.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami
Humanitarian Coordinator, Sudan