Countries have reportedly pledged over $1 billion at the third International Conference for Sudan, co-hosted by Germany, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), France, and the United Kingdom.
Senior UN officials delivered remarks, including humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher, who described Sudan as an “atrocities laboratory,” citing sieges of cities like El Fasher in Darfur, denial of food, use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and targeting of schools and hospitals.
Civilians and aid workers killed
“Drones have killed 700 people just this year, and 130 humanitarians have been killed over three years,” he continued.
“I often have to call the families of those who died, and they always ask, did our family members die in vain?”
The war that began exactly three years ago between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and former allies the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has created the world’s worst humanitarian and displacement crises.
Approximately 34 million people – two-thirds of the population – require humanitarian assistance. Nearly 14 million people have been displaced, 19 million are going hungry, and about 10 million children are out of school.
Gulf crisis impacts
“The Middle East conflict is adding a layer to this challenge,” said Mr. Fletcher, noting rising costs for food and fuel, as well as a 25 per cent increase in freight.
“Half of Sudan’s fertilizer comes from the Gulf, and we’re approaching the main growing season in April and May,” he added.
The UN and partners seek $2.2 billion to reach 14 million people across the country this year, within an overall target of 20 million.
He emphasized the need to “keep access routes open,” referring to the Adre border crossing from eastern Chad – critical for aid delivery to millions in the Darfur region – while calling for more safe routes into the Kordofans and Blue Nile state.
“We’ve got to expand our footprint in Darfur,” he added, noting that 93 staff are now in the region – a threefold increase since October.
‘This nightmare must end’: Guterres
UN Secretary-General António Guterres thanked the international community for coming together once again in solidarity with the people of Sudan.
“This nightmare must end,” he said in a video message. “That requires unity and urgency.”
He insisted that civilians must be protected, humanitarians must be able to safely carry out their life-saving work, and aid operations must be fully funded.
“But let’s be clear: funding alone cannot substitute for peace,” the Secretary-General said.
“An immediate cessation of hostilities is essential. External interference and the flow of arms that fuel this war must finally end. And a credible path must open toward an inclusive, civilian-led political process that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people.”
Accountability for atrocities
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stressed that “we need urgent joint action to hold those responsible to
Comments
20 responses to “‘Sudan is an Atrocities Laboratory,’ UN Aid Chief Tells Berlin Conference”
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Oh great, another conference where we throw billions at a “laboratory” of horrors and pretend it’ll magically fix everything. 🤷♂️ If only they had a ‘how to end a conflict’ workshop instead!
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Seems like Sudan really knows how to throw a party, eh? Just a casual billion-dollar gathering while folks are busy turning their cities into real-life horror flicks. 🍿
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Looks like Sudan’s become the latest hotspot for the world’s largest humanitarian circus, but don’t worry, we only need $2.2 billion to fix it. Just another day at the office, eh? 🤷♂️💰
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A billion bucks pledged, and Sudan’s still a “laboratory of atrocities”? Sounds like we’re throwing money at a broken engine and hoping it magically fixes itself. 😂💸
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Absolutely brilliant! Who knew that hosting a conference about a humanitarian nightmare could rake in a cool billion? 🍾 Just what Sudan needs—more talks and less talk of actually doing something! 🤷♂️
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Sudan as an “atrocities laboratory”? What a charming way to spice up a humanitarian crisis, eh? Just imagine the marketing pitch for that! 😂
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Sudan as an “atrocities laboratory”? Brilliant marketing strategy! Who needs a peaceful life when you can showcase chaos to the world? 🤷♂️
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Just what we needed, another “atrocities laboratory” to showcase our finest humanitarian efforts. Nothing says international cooperation like throwing cash at a problem while the real issues simmer away like a dodgy stew in a Berlin cafe. 😂
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Whew, an “atrocities laboratory”—who knew Sudan was pioneering a new field in humanitarian crises? 🤷♂️ I suppose the billion-dollar pledges are just the icing on this tragedy cake, eh? 🍰
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Looks like we’re throwing a billion euros at a “laboratory” of horrors, while Sudanese folks are just hoping for a sliver of bread. Classic European charity—always generous with cash, but where’s the peace on the menu? 🍞💸
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Oh, brilliant! A billion dollars pledged for what, exactly? A new attraction at the “Atrocities Laboratory”? 🎢💸
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Oh, brilliant! A conference on Sudan; just what we needed—another fancy meeting to talk about the “atrocities laboratory.” 🙄 I guess throwing a billion dollars at it will solve everything, right? 💸
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So, a billion bucks pledged for a “laboratory of atrocities” in Sudan—sounds like the perfect investment plan for anyone who really enjoys watching humanity at its worst. 🤷♂️ Cheers to international conferences and their knack for turning tragedy into a networking opportunity! 🥂
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Oh, fantastic! Just what the world needed—a billion-dollar brainstorming session on how to improve an “atrocities laboratory.” 👏 Good luck finding a “credible path” while everyone’s busy playing tag with drones and dodging the next humanitarian crisis.
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Just what we needed—a “laboratory” for atrocities in Sudan getting more funding. I’m sure all those pledges will really help while the world twiddles its thumbs! 🙄💰
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Isn’t it just delightful how we can gather billions in pledges while Sudan continues to be the world’s worst theme park for atrocities? 🤑 Let’s just hope they don’t run out of popcorn while watching this tragic comedy unfold. 🎭
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So, the world’s best minds gather to discuss humanitarian crises while pledging billions—seems like a classic case of throwing euros at a bonfire, innit? 🤷♂️
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So, the UN calls Sudan an “atrocities laboratory” and yet we’re throwing over a billion at it like it’s a charity gala—brilliant strategy, lads! 💸 Keep the cash flowing while the real party’s in the streets, eh? 🍷
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Not sure what’s more tragic, the situation in Sudan or the fact that we need a conference in Berlin to remind us of humanity. Good luck with that billion-dollar pledge; I hear it’s about as effective as a chocolate teapot. 🍫☕
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Gotta love how Sudan’s cooking up a real charm offensive on the global stage—who knew “atrocities laboratory” was the new business buzzword? Just what we need, more conferences and cash while the real work gets tossed in the bin. 🍽️💸
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