Major Humanitarian Organizations: World Leaders Must Take Immediate Action to End the War in Sudan
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Leading international humanitarian organizations have called on the upcoming International Conference on Sudan, scheduled to take place next week in London, to take urgent and concrete action to end the conflict, protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and halt the worsening famine.
In a joint statement issued Thursday, the following humanitarian leaders emphasized the urgency of the moment:
Charlotte Slente, Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council
David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee
Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council
Renée Van Heteren, Chair of the Executive Committee at CARE International
Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps
They said:
“The upcoming ministerial conference on Sudan, hosted in the United Kingdom, must be a turning point.
World leaders must move beyond rhetoric and take immediate, tangible steps to end the conflict, protect civilians, ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those in need, and halt the deepening famine.
This requires confronting a painful reality: when funding runs dry, people don’t just suffer — they die. Humanitarian organizations, including local responders, need resources now, not tomorrow or after another round of discussions, to stop the daily, preventable loss of life.”
The UK government is set to host the international conference on April 15 at Lancaster House, with participation from around 20 countries and organizations, marking two years since the war began, with the goal of pushing Sudan’s warring parties toward peace.
The statement condemned the failure to adequately fund humanitarian operations in Sudan, describing it as the greatest obstacle to saving lives.
It read:
“Only 10% of this year’s 4.1 billion appeal — aimed at assisting 20.9 million people in Sudan — has been secured. Support for refugees and returnees in neighboring countries also remains critically underfunded.”
The leaders warned:
“This catastrophic funding gap is forcing Sudanese local responders to shut down life-saving communal kitchens and mobile clinics. And yet, these responders are the backbone of the humanitarian response, delivering food, water, and medical care to those most in need — saving lives every single day.”
Full statement follows below:
Joint statement from the leadership of DRC, IRC, NRC, CARE International and Mercy Corps:
10. Apr 2025
Two years of war in Sudan have created a humanitarian catastrophe without parallel. Over 30 million people – nearly 65 percent of Sudan’s population – now need urgent assistance to survive. Attacks on civilians are relentless. Women and girls endure systemic sexual violence. The reported use of rape as a weapon of war paints one of the conflict’s darkest pictures. Meanwhile, lifesaving aid is being deliberately blocked as famine spreads – pushing entire communities towards starvation – and the looming rainy season threatens to flood critical transportation routes and further reduce access to communities in urgent need.
While the international community has taken steps to alleviate suffering, these remain too slow, too timid, and dangerously inadequate.
Half of Sudan’s population faces severe hunger. The stories that our teams and partners share with us must be a wake-up call to the world: A father so desperate that he tried to sell his three children, hoping someone who could feed them would buy them; families forced to survive on grass and leaves because there’s simply nothing else to eat. These are not isolated cases, but the brutal reality for millions living in conflict-affected states.
Over 3.7 million refugees – mostly women and children – have fled to neighboring countries in search of food and safety, only to face equally dire conditions. Exhausted and destitute, Sudanese refugees arriving in Chad, South Sudan and beyond find overcrowded camps, scarce resources, and a humanitarian system stretched to its absolute limits. The region is at a tipping point, with tensions now flaring in South Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia.
The world’s failure to fund humanitarian action in Sudan has now become the biggest obstacle to saving lives. Only ten percent of this year’s 4.1 billion appeal to assist 20.9 million people in Sudan have been secured. Efforts to support refugees and returnees in neighbouring countries also remain critically underfunded. This catastrophic gap is forcing Sudanese local responders to shut down life-saving communal kitchens and mobile clinics. Yet they are the backbone of the humanitarian response, saving lives daily by reaching those in the greatest need with food, water, and medical care.
The upcoming ministerial conference on Sudan taking place in the United Kingdom must be a turning point. World leaders should move beyond rhetoric and take immediate, concrete action to end the conflict, protect civilians, ensure aid reaches those who need it, and stop the expansion of famine conditions. This requires facing a brutal truth: When funding dries up, people don’t just suffer—they die. Humanitarian organisations, including local responders, need resources now – not tomorrow, not after another round of talks – to halt the daily toll of preventable deaths.
The worlds delayed action has already cost countless lives. This cannot go on.
Signatories:
Charlotte Slente, Secretary General, Danish Refugee Council
David Miliband, Chief Executive Officer, International Rescue Committee
Jan Egeland, Secretary General, Norwegian Refugee Council
Reintje van Haeringen, Executive Committee Chair, CARE International
Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Corps
