London conference to discuss humanitarian crisis, conflict in Sudan

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The UK on Tuesday will co-host a conference in London alongside the African Union, EU, France and Germany to mark the two-year anniversary of the conflict in Sudan.

The one-day conference will bring foreign ministers and leading humanitarian leaders together at a conference in London regarding humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

In a statement, the British Foreign Office said that international representatives will discuss how to achieve a peaceful end to the conflict and address the issues preventing aid reaching those most in need.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary David Lammy will announce new life-saving aid, worth £120 million ($158.4 million) to support over 650,000 Sudanese people.

He will also identify steps to improve humanitarian access and find a long-term political solution to the ongoing crisis, added in the statement.

"We need to act now to stop the crisis from becoming an all-out catastrophe, ensuring aid gets to those who need it the most," said Lammy ahead of the conference.

African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye said: "The African Union is committed to assisting all the people of Sudan build a brighter democratic future by working to silence the guns."

Since April 15, 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been battling the army for control of Sudan, resulting in thousands of deaths and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

More than 20,000 victims have been killed and 15 million displaced, according to the UN and local authorities. Research from US scholars, however, estimates the death toll at around 130,000.

In recent weeks, the RSF has lost significant territory across Sudan to government forces.