Western NGOs: Decline in Western Funding for Humanitarian Work Worsens Sudan’s Tragedy
Oslo – Sudanhorizon
Five major Western international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have issued a powerful appeal, directly accusing the West and the international community of responsibility for the suffering of millions of war victims in Sudan.
This marks one of the rare occasions where these influential humanitarian organisations—whose reach extends from Norway to the UK to the US—have openly stated that only 10% of funding appeals to aid Sudanese civilians affected by compounded natural and man-made disasters have been met by Western donors.
In a poignant statement released on Thursday, the five organisations—Danish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International, and Mercy Corps—painted a harrowing picture of civilians enduring rape, sexual violence, starvation, and bombardment while the world stands idly by.
The statement, issued nearly two years into the war, described Sudan’s conflict as an “unparalleled humanitarian catastrophe.”
“Attacks on civilians are relentless. Women and girls face systematic sexual violence. The reported use of rape as a weapon of war reveals one of the darkest facets of this crisis. Meanwhile, life-saving aid is being blocked, accelerating famine conditions. Entire communities are being pushed toward starvation, and the imminent rainy season threatens to flood critical supply routes, further isolating those in need.”
Signed by:
Charlotte Slente, Secretary-General, Danish Refugee Council
David Miliband, CEO, International Rescue Committee
Jan Egeland, Secretary-General, Norwegian Refugee Council
Rieneke van Heringen, Executive Chair, CARE International
Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO, Mercy Corps.
The statement lamented:
“The world’s failure to fund Sudan’s humanitarian response has now become the greatest barrier to saving lives. Only 10% of this year’s $4.1 billion appeal—aimed at assisting 20.9 million people—has been secured.”
Regional Collapse and Warnings
The NGOs warned that the war’s repercussions are destabilising Sudan’s neighbours, where efforts to support refugees and returnees face severe funding shortfalls. This gap has forced local responders—the backbone of humanitarian operations—to shutter communal kitchens and mobile clinics, despite their daily role in delivering food, water, and medical care to the most vulnerable.
A Call for the UK Ministerial Conference
The statement urged that the upcoming UK-hosted ministerial conference on Sudan must be a turning point:
“World leaders must move beyond rhetoric and take immediate, concrete action to end the conflict, protect civilians, ensure aid access, and halt famine’s spread.”
It stressed:
“This requires facing a hard truth: When funding dries up, people don’t just suffer—they die. Humanitarian actors, including local responders, need resources now—not tomorrow, not after another round of talks—to stop preventable daily loss of life.”
The NGOs concluded with a stark indictment:
“The world’s delayed response has already cost countless lives. This cannot continue.”
Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=5048