Humanitarian needs soar as resources shrink after three years of conflict in Sudan

Sudan is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. 34 million people – 72% of the population -- need humanitarian assistance. This includes 29 million people who are acutely food insecure. 

Over 9.1 million people have been forced from their homes and are internally displaced. A third of these households reported that at least one member went an entire day and night without eating within the past month due to insufficient food.

“The number of people in need has increased since last year, driven largely by the unabated continuation of violence and brutal conflict, with needs rising in almost every state in the Darfur and Kordofan regions where Concern is responding,” he said.

The health infrastructure is crumbling with less than 30% of health facilities functioning and medical supplies in short supply. Water and sanitation are also crucial issues with more than half of people across Sudan reporting report difficulties in accessing safe water. Multiple epidemics—including cholera, malaria, and dengue—are spreading as the country’s health care, water, and sanitation systems crumble. 

“The crisis has been exacerbated by drastic cuts to international funding,” Mr Kilkenny said. “Time is running out for the international community to respond and prevent this spiralling into an even greater humanitarian catastrophe.”

A survey by members of the Sudan INGO Forum predicts that the wind down of international funding in the coming months will lead to widespread hardship. Over 20 million people risk losing access to vital services, with more than 340 health facilities facing closure and the withdrawal of nutrition support to acutely malnourished children under the age of five, and their months likely to affect almost a quarter of a million of the most vulnerable. 

“More funding now could still reverse the worst impacts of these cuts,” Mr Kilkenny said. “The lifeline provided by local health facilities and community outreach, supported by Concern, could be kept open and the worst impacts averted. But this window of opportunity is closing fast. Once the support to health workers stops and facilities close, they cannot instantly be reopened.”

Against this backdrop, the response of the Irish people and the Irish government stands out in not only maintaining its attention but even increasing their responses, he said.

Concern is continuing to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis. Last year Concern’s team reached over 375,000 people in Sudan, providing life-saving and essential services.  These included providing cash assistance for basic needs, such as food, soap and hygiene items, medical expenses, and clothing.  

Concern supported 62 health and nutrition facilities and eight mobile health clinics. It provided therapeutic supplementary feeding to malnourished children aged under-five in 55 health centres. Without sustained funding now, these numbers are set to dwindle by around two-thirds.

The resilience of people is remarkable, Mr Kilkenny said: “Hunger is on the rise, yet even surrounded by danger and facing huge risks, farmers, given the necessary tools and seeds are still planting in expectation of the rain due in May. With funds provided by the European Union, we are supporting 3,000 farmers and their families.”

One such farmer is Zarifa (35)* lives in Elwehida Village, West Kordofan State. Before last summer she had never cultivated vegetables. Limited technical knowledge, poor land preparation, lack of water, and insufficient fencing materials made vegetable production extremely challenging, which all contributed to low agricultural productivity and recurring food shortages in her household.

In July 2025, Zarifa received agricultural inputs, including watercress, radish, purslane, eggplant, tomato, and okra seeds. She received tools and training. Prior to the intervention, her daily income was approximately 5,000 SDG (€1.83), from October 2025 to January 2026. Afterwards, her daily income increased to approximately 15,000 SDG (€5.48) per day and 450,000 SDG (€164.53) per month, by selling the excess produce. 

This increase enabled her to diversify her family’s diet, meet basic household needs, and cover medical expenses, including spending approximately 52,000 SDG (€19.01) monthly on essential eye treatments. 

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* Name changed for safety reasons

For media queries and interview requests contact Eamon Timmins, Media Relations Manager, at eamon.timmins@concern.net or 087 9880524 or Eilis Staunton Media Relations Officer, at Eilis.staunton@concern.net or 085 8720720.