U.S., E.U., and UN Pledge Nearly Half Billion Dollars in New Aid to Sudan

A high-level side event at the 79th United Nations General Assembly session about the Sudanese crisis on September 25, 2024

September 25, 2024 (NEW YORK) – The United States, the European Union and the United Nations announced on Wednesday an additional allocation of nearly half a billion dollars in humanitarian aid to Sudan, where half the population faces severe hunger.

The announcement was made during a high-level side event at the 79th United Nations General Assembly session, co-hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the European Union, Egypt, the United States, and the United Nations. The event focused on scaling up the humanitarian response in Sudan and the region.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, announced a commitment of $424 million in new humanitarian assistance. She specified that the U.S. Agency for International Development would provide over $276 million, while the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration would allocate more than $147 million.

Thomas-Greenfield explained that USAID’s contribution includes $175 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation, which will be used to purchase, ship, and distribute nearly 81,000 metric tons of surplus food commodities from American farmers. This will support more than 1.2 million people facing acute food insecurity in Sudan.

She further stated that the funding from USAID and the State Department would support United Nations partners and non-governmental organizations in providing food, health care, and protection to those affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan and neighbouring countries.

The United States has provided $1.1 billion to the Sudanese people this year, including this new additional funding. Since the conflict began, the United States has contributed more than $2 billion to Sudan’s emergency response.

The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, also announced an additional 69 million euros (about $74 million) in support for the crisis in Sudan. He highlighted the urgent need for 20,000 tons of aid per month in the Darfur region, including food, water, sanitation, and other essentials, noting that less than 15% of this aid has passed through the Adré crossing.

Sudanese authorities decided on August 15 to open the Adré crossing, connecting Chad to the West Darfur state controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, for the flow of aid after a period of resistance.

Lenarčič called on all parties to the conflict to immediately lift physical, security, and bureaucratic barriers to allow unconditional humanitarian access. He also stressed the need for international pressure on the parties to engage in peace negotiations.

Joyce Msuya, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and acting emergency relief coordinator, warned that the crisis in Sudan could become a catastrophe without urgent international action.

She stated that 25.6 million Sudanese are experiencing acute food insecurity, and nearly 5 million children under the age of five, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Msuya announced the allocation of $25 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund to address the spread of famine and acute food insecurity in Sudan.

The Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, vowed to continue supporting the Sudanese people and affirmed that his country “has spared no effort in supporting the Sudanese people since the beginning of the crisis. Our contribution includes establishing a humanitarian centre for the World Food Program in Jeddah to store and dispatch aid.”

The United Nations reports that this year’s Humanitarian Response Plan is 49% funded, out of $2.7 billion to assist 14.7 million Sudanese. The Regional Response Plan is 25% funded, out of $1.5 billion, to support 3.3 million refugees, returnees, and host communities in seven neighbouring countries.