Today marks two years since war began in Sudan, plunging the country into one of the world’s most devastating and overlooked humanitarian crises. What began on April 15, 2023, as clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has spiraled into an unabating war that has created the largest displacement crisis in the world.
Once-bustling cities and communities now lie in ruins. Civilians have been killed in their homes, attacked in hospitals, starved, and subjected to sexual violence—used as a weapon of war. Over 11 million people are now displaced in Sudan, and 3.5 million more have fled across borders. More than half of those displaced are children—making Sudan the largest child displacement crisis in the world.
“The war in Sudan is not just a catastrophe for its people—it is a global failure of action, accountability, and humanity,” said USCRI President and CEO Eskinder Negash. “The international community’s response has been shamefully inadequate, and political interests have derailed peace efforts.”
Calls for a ceasefire have been repeatedly rejected, and diplomatic efforts have fallen short. Civilian protection and humanitarian access cannot wait for a ceasefire. Over 30 million people need humanitarian assistance in Sudan—more than 15 million are children, thousands without family.
Famine was confirmed and is expanding as warring parties continue to obstruct aid. Recent cuts to foreign aid by the U.S. Government—funding that accounted for almost half of all humanitarian aid in Sudan last year—have decimated access to lifesaving support.
Sudan accounts for one in 13 refugees worldwide and almost half of all forcibly displaced people in East Africa. The war has put regional stability at risk as neighboring countries like South Sudan, Chad, and Ethiopia grapple with refugee influx as well as deteriorating internal situations.
“We marked one year, we marked 500 days, and today we witness two years of unimaginable suffering for the people of Sudan,” said Negash. “Sudan, with a long history of welcoming refugees and the largest host country for decades, is now itself shattered by war and the world’s inaction. There is no more time for delayed dialogue. The world must act now to protect civilians and prioritize peace.”
USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.
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