US announces $203 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Sudan

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US announced Thursday more than $200 million in additional humanitarian assistance for civilians in Sudan and for those who fled to neighboring countries.

The assistance includes more than $178 million from the State Department and nearly $25 million through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“The people of Sudan are facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Much more needs to be done to help them. I'm proud to announce that the United States is providing an additional $203 million in humanitarian funding to support people in Sudan, Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan affected by this brutal conflict,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters.  “We hope this new round of aid serves as a call to action for others to follow suit.”

Noting that the Eritrean border crossing, one of the most important in terms of humanitarian aid, is still closed, she said: "This obstruction is completely unacceptable."

The conflict in Sudan erupted in April 2023, when army Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo disagreed on whether the RSF should be integrated into the military.

The conflict has killed nearly 16,000 victims, displaced millions and caused a humanitarian crisis, according to the UN.