Sudan’s ‘abandoned crisis’ enters fourth year as calls for peace grow louder

Sudan’s war entered its fourth year this week, with United Nations agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and German officials warning that the conflict has become the world’s largest humanitarian emergency.

The anniversary brought a new push in Berlin for a ceasefire and more aid, alongside fresh warnings that displacement, hunger and the collapse of health services are deepening the crisis.

UN agencies said Sudan remains the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis. The World Health Organization said 34 million people need aid and 21 million people lack health services.

The ICRC president said patterns of warfare that disregard human life and dignity cannot continue as the war enters its fourth year.

Germany hosted a Sudan conference in Berlin on April 15 and announced an additional 20 million euros in support for the country’s struggling population. German officials said the meeting was meant to advance an immediate ceasefire and mobilize more humanitarian assistance.

The conflict began on April 15, 2023, after fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Since then, the war has displaced millions of people and pushed large parts of the country deeper into hunger and medical crisis.

The immediate question now is whether the Berlin conference leads to any concrete ceasefire or access commitments, or whether it adds only to repeated warnings about a conflict that aid agencies say the world has allowed to drift into an abandoned crisis.