UN's Assessment Indicates Sudan's Aid needs Exceed $3 Billion

The United Nations has highlighted the urgent need for substantial financial support in Sudan, with estimates suggesting that over $3 billion is required for humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees. The ongoing heavy fighting since mid-April has further intensified the existing humanitarian crisis in the region.

To address the pressing humanitarian needs, the UN has revised its initial estimate and now emphasizes the necessity of $2.6 billion solely for humanitarian aid, an increase from the previous estimate of $1.75 billion in December. These funds are crucial to provide assistance to approximately 18 million individuals who are considered the most vulnerable in Sudan, as stated by Ramesh Rajasingham, the head of humanitarian affairs at the UN.

In addition to the humanitarian aid, the UN is also requesting $470.4 million specifically for refugees who have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict. The organization anticipates a significant number of people, potentially up to 1.1 million, leaving Sudan this year.

Rajasingham stressed that the scale of the crisis is alarming, with over 25 million people, more than half of Sudan's population, requiring immediate humanitarian assistance and protection. The conflict between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane's army and General Mohamed Hamdane Daglo's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries, which commenced on April 15, has resulted in the loss of approximately 1,000 lives and the displacement of 1 million individuals, both internally and as refugees.

It is worth noting that the conflict has further exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in the country, where one in three people were reliant on humanitarian aid even prior to the outbreak of war. Recently, Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), estimated that over 800,000 individuals may be forced to flee the deadly fighting in Sudan.

"To date, the crisis, which began a month ago, has caused a mass exodus to neighboring countries of about 220,000 refugees," UNHCR official Raouf Mazou told reporters.

At the same time, more than 700,000 people have been internally displaced in Sudan. "Countless people remain trapped in Sudan, innocent victims of the indiscriminate fighting," he added.