Sudan
Country stats
- Capital: Khartoum
- Population: 48.1 million
- People in need of humanitarian aid: 24.8 million
Concern’s response
- Sudan program launched: 1985
- Program areas: Emergency Response, Health & Nutrition, Livelihoods
Why are we in Sudan?
Faced with decades of humanitarian challenges, Sudan reached a heightened level of political and social instability in 2019, when the 30-year regime of President Omar al-Bashir ended. In 2023, the alliance between co-governing military factions collapsed into violence following a power struggle. One year later, the ongoing violence has fuelled a humanitarian crisis of tragic proportions. In 2024, 24.8 million people in Sudan — nearly half the population — will require humanitarian assistance.
Sudan is quickly becoming the world’s biggest humanitarian — and hunger — crisis
After a summer of mass protests in 2019, President al-Bashir was ousted from office and replaced by a transitional government tasked with leading the country towards democratic rule. However, the transition suffered a setback with a 2021 coup led by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Their alliance collapsed on 15 April 2023 over a power struggle, setting off violence in the capital city of Khartoum. One year later, that violence has spread across the country, reaching states where Concern works including West Kordofan, South Kordofan, and West Darfur.
According to UN agencies, 7.1 million people have been internally displaced with 2 million people seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. The violence has led to increased inflation rates, incidences of gender-based violence, destruction of healthcare facilities, and damage to water infrastructure, creating such urgent needs as clean water, shelter, and core essentials. Food and nutrition support are also chief concerns, with over 40% of Sudanese civilians facing food shortages. As the lean season approaches, the outlook for food security between February and September 2024 paints a catastrophic picture with needs expected to escalate sharply.
Latest achievements
Emergency response
Despite the logistical and security challenges, Concern Sudan staff were able to reach over 346,000 people in just eight months with lifesaving health, nutrition, cash, and emergency supplies following the events of April 2023. Assistance is continuing to be delivered to West Darfur, West Kordofan and South Kordofan, as well as Red Sea State.
Healthcare
With 70% of the healthcare system shut down in conflict-affected areas, Concern has been supporting 73 healthcare facilities, including the delivery of more than 11 tons of medical supplies.
Nutrition
The only factory in Sudan producing ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), a critical and lifesaving treatment for childhood malnutrition, was destroyed in 2023. However, Concern have managed to secure RUTF supplies from different pipelines and successfully deliver 11 tons of RUTF to vulnerable communities.
Our work in Sudan
Concern is responding to the crisis in Sudan with programs that strengthen household capacity, provide health and nutrition support, and deliver frontline humanitarian assistance.
