NRC head condemns aid cuts as ‘moral failure’ in Sudan’s deepening crisis
April 8, 2025 (OSLO) – Two years of war in Sudan have unleashed one of the “most harrowing crises of our generation,” displacing nearly 15 million people and pushing millions towards famine amid severe international funding cuts, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Tuesday.
Marking the grim anniversary, NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland described the situation as Sudan’s “darkest hour,” stating that armed groups had attacked civilians with impunity for over 700 days while peace efforts faltered.
“Civilians have not been protected, and peace efforts have failed,” Egeland said in a statement.
The conflict has created the “deepest humanitarian collapse in Sudan’s history,” Egeland stated, forcing nearly 15 million people from their homes. This includes an estimated 11.5 million displaced internally and 3.5 million who have fled as refugees and returnees to neighbouring countries like Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt, according to UN and IOM figures cited by NRC.
Around 25 million people – half Sudan’s population – face devastating hunger, with 1.5 million on the brink of famine.
Egeland blamed a “confluence of catastrophic factors,” highlighting severe funding cuts by the United States and several European donors as worsening the humanitarian catastrophe.
“Programmes that once provided vital support have been forced to shut down, leaving millions without the basic means to survive,” he warned. He cited halts to farmer support crucial for food production, the closure of aid access centres for displaced people, and reduced education programs as direct consequences.
The NRC chief also pointed to the immense strain on neighbouring countries hosting over three million refugees and returnees, such as Chad and South Sudan, which face their own crises.
Calling the international response a “moral failure,” Egeland urged the global community to “reverse these misguided funding shifts and recommit to protecting humanity.”
“We must not allow self-interest to overshadow our fundamental responsibility to save lives,” he added.
The NRC reported it supported over one million people across Sudan last year, double its reach in 2023, despite the challenging operating environment.