France is taking the lead by hosting a conference in Paris on Monday to shed light on the ongoing "forgotten crisis" in Sudan, which erupted exactly one year ago. With over

€840 million already pledged, the goal is to raise a minimum of €4 billion.

Exactly one year ago, Sudan plunged into a violent civil war sparked by a power struggle between generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohammed Hamdane Daglo. However, amidst global crises like the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East, Sudan's plight has often been overlooked.

The Paris conference aims to rectify this oversight. French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné emphasized the importance of addressing this forgotten crisis, stating, "Today we are putting a forgotten crisis on the agenda."

Millions at Risk

The conflict has resulted in the displacement of 8.2 million people, with 18 million facing severe food shortages. The UN warns that 8.9 million children are at risk of acute food insecurity.

Furthermore, the lack of access to safe drinking water has heightened the threat of cholera, measles, malaria, and dengue fever outbreaks. Frontline workers have gone unpaid for a year, essential supplies are dwindling, and critical infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, remains under attack.

The conference aims to raise funds to avert famine and bolster humanitarian assistance. France has pledged €110 million, Germany €244 million, the European Commission €350 million, and the US €138 million in humanitarian aid.

Absent Sudanese Leadership

While top officials from various countries are attending, including German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, Sudanese leaders are notably absent. Al-Burhan, the de facto leader of Sudan, criticized the conference as a violation of international law and Sudanese sovereignty, stating it was organized without consulting the Sudanese government.

Photo by Christopher Michel from San Francisco, USA, Wikimedia commons.