Sudan is currently facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, caused by ongoing conflict. Over 11.4 million people are now displaced and over 3 million people, mainly women and children, have fled to neighbouring countries. Famine was officially declared in ZamZam internally displaced persons camp in August 2024 and has now spread to 10 additional areas. Sudan-wide, around 25 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection services.
Sudan is a diplomatic and funding priority for the UK. Aid funding to Sudan has increased since fighting broke out in April 2023. The prime minister confirmed the UK would continue to play a key humanitarian role in Sudan, following the announcement of the reduction of official development assistance to 0.3% of UK gross national income.
The purpose of this review was to generate evidence to inform the UK’s approach to its ongoing support in Sudan and to people affected by the crisis in neighbouring countries. It aims to generate broader lessons for fragile and conflict affected contexts, including on how humanitarian aid, development assistance and diplomacy can work together to achieve results.
Findings
- The UK doubled its aid to Sudan and neighbouring countries to £231.3 million in 2024-25, showing strong leadership in response to the crisis. However, the impact of this funding could be strengthened through better staffing, predictable funding and more cross-government action which could unlock greater opportunities.
- Despite the UK’s strong advocacy for women and girls, who face particularly severe challenges, there is a significant gap between the needs on the ground and actual support provided by the international community.
- Following the evacuation of UK staff from Khartoum, the British Office Sudan now operates from Addis Ababa and Nairobi with limited resources for such a complex crisis, and high staff turnover.
- Complex compliance procedures for accessing funding make it difficult for the UK to work directly with Sudanese organisations.
- The UK has maintained strong partnerships with multilateral organisations including the African Union and UN agencies, and its humanitarian programming has reached millions through food security support, malnutrition treatment and protection services.
- UK staff were widely recognised by those ICAI interviewed for their deep expertise, professionalism and commitment.
- In Chad, the UK rapidly scaled up to become a key donor supporting refugees from Sudan’s Darfur region. In South Sudan, the UK has integrated its response to the Sudan crisis into established aid programmes such as those on health and education, supporting internally displaced people, refugees and host communities.
