EU and members pledge $565 million for Sudan aid
April 16, 2025 (BRUSSELS) – The European Union and its Member States have pledged €522 million (about $565 million) in humanitarian aid for Sudan in 2025, seeking to address a crisis deepening after two years of armed conflict, the bloc announced Tuesday. The commitment was made at a High-level Conference for Sudan co-hosted in London by the European Commission, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the African Union.
The funding aims to alleviate the suffering caused by a conflict that has triggered widespread famine and the world’s largest displacement crisis, according to the EU. Of the total amount, the European Commission itself committed €282 million, with the remaining €240 million pledged by Member States Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Officials stated the aid will target the most vulnerable, including internally displaced persons, refugee families, and host communities. It will fund essential services such as health and nutritional care, food assistance, water and sanitation, shelter, protection efforts, and education programs.
The conference followed a recent visit by EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, to neighbouring Chad, where she observed the conflict’s severe impact, particularly on refugees, women, and children.
“Two years into the war, the situation in Sudan is devastating,” Commissioner Lahbib said in a statement. “The conflict brought famine to the country and led to the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 15 million people were already uprooted from their homes. Violations of International Humanitarian Law are rampant.”
Lahbib specifically referenced recent violence, stating, “Over the past weekend, the horrendous violence in Zamzam camp, North Darfur, killed numerous civilians – including humanitarian workers – and resulted in even more people fleeing. This is one example among many.”
She stressed the need to keep Sudan high on the global agenda and uphold international humanitarian law, reaffirming the EU’s commitment “in a Team Europe spirit, to assist people in need in the country and across borders.”
The Commission detailed that its €282 million contribution for 2025 includes €160 million specifically for humanitarian assistance within Sudan, €109 million for the regional response in neighbouring countries hosting Sudanese refugees, and an additional €13 million for stabilisation efforts.
Tuesday’s London conference, which built on previous EU-led meetings in March and April, aimed to increase international focus on the humanitarian tragedy in Sudan and explore practical steps to improve aid access, besides the political efforts to end the conflict.