U.S. Pledges $203 Million Aid Amid Sudan Crisis

The United States will provide an additional $203 million to support civilians impacted by the conflict in Sudan, announced by U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield. The funds will assist those in Sudan and neighboring countries. The U.S. urges other nations to increase their aid contributions.

The United States will allocate an extra $203 million to aid millions of civilians affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced on Thursday. She appealed to other countries to amplify their support, describing the situation as the worst humanitarian crisis globally.

The financial assistance aims to support civilians within Sudan and those who have fled to neighboring nations since the war erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to the U.N., almost 25 million people, representing half of Sudan's population, require aid, with famine looming and 10 million displaced from their homes, including over 2.2 million who have crossed into other countries.

Thomas-Greenfield emphasized the severe nature of the crisis, stating, "People are eating dirt to survive, relying on tree leaves for nutrition." She remarked that there is a realistic prospect of famine in 14 areas across Sudan if the conflict intensifies, with the U.N. World Food Programme identifying it as the most severe hunger crisis globally.

The new U.S. funds bring the total American assistance to $1.6 billion since the conflict began, making the U.S. the largest donor. Thomas-Greenfield expressed hope that this latest aid package would galvanize others to act. The conflict, initially triggered by plans to integrate the army and paramilitary forces into a transition to free elections, has led to widespread ethnically driven violence, particularly attributed to the RSF, which the U.S. accuses of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Thomas-Greenfield indicated that the U.S. might push for further U.N. Security Council measures to guarantee aid reaches those most in need. She suggested the Council should explore all tools, including authorizing aid to cross critical borders into Sudan, similar to past operations in Syria.