World Humanitarian Day (August 19): STP Criticizes the International Community’s Failure in Sudan

On Humanitarian Aid Day, August 19, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) criticizes the inadequate international commitment to the people of Sudan. Since the war began in April 2023, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated dramatically. Women and children in particular are suffering from the consequences of the war.

“Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, Sudan has been caught in a downward spiral of violence, oppression, war, hunger, and disease. Figures from the UN and international aid organizations paint an increasingly dire picture. Yet there is still no coordinated political action that could save lives,” says Sarah Reinke, Executive Director for Human Rights at STP.

The human rights organization is calling on the German government to step up Germany’s commitment to Sudan. During the Sudan Conference in Berlin in April 2026, international donors pledged 1.53 billion euros. Of the 212 million euros in humanitarian aid for Sudan that Germany publicly announced, only 37.5 million euros are earmarked for 2026. “Mr. Wadephul, do you remember your good intentions to truly help, which you expressed during the Sudan Conference in April?” Reinke asks the Federal Foreign Minister. “Given the enormous scale of suffering in Sudan, these 37.5 million euros are just a drop in the bucket!” A large portion of that amount has already been spent.

Both warring parties in Sudan are using hunger as a weapon. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are destroying fields, warehouses, water systems, and markets. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are blocking access for humanitarian organizations. “The German government must face the question of how it is using its influence over the warring parties and their supporters, such as the United Arab Emirates, to put an end to these violations of international humanitarian law and hold those responsible to account,” Reinke explains.

According to the STP’s assessment, the situation is currently particularly dire in North and West Kordofan. According to local media reports, thousands of people are stranded in the small town of Ed Daein in West Kordofan. Aid from South Sudan is not reaching them there. The capital of North Kordofan, El Obeid, was one of the places in Sudan most heavily bombed in July and August. The RSF is systematically attacking civilian infrastructure and the population. More than 605,000 people living in El Obeid and the surrounding rural areas of the Sheikan region are in need of humanitarian aid. More than 563,000 civilians are in El Obeid itself, including about 105,000 people who have been displaced by the war from other parts of Sudan. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns of the precarious situation around El Obeid. It states that more and more people are being displaced by the violence in the region. Aid is insufficient, and women and children in particular are falling victim to sexual violence.

This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at 65]G378o6DD6CA.