More than two years after the start of the war, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan has worsened and the situation is of extreme concern. At the beginning of August 2025, the WFP warned of the famine affecting the population of Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur. Under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for over a year, the town of Al-Fashir is cut off from all humanitarian access. According to reports, some families have resorted to eating animal fodder and food waste in order to survive. Eyewitness accounts from people fleeing the region speak of escalating violence, looting and sexual assaults. The spread of cholera is also threatening to claim thousands of victims.
According to the WFP, 64% of the Sudanese population, or around 28.4 million people, are now exposed to acute food insecurity, compared with 24.6 million at the end of 2024.
Switzerland mobilises funds
Faced with this situation, the SDC has decided to release CHF 4 million from its budget to the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund. This funding will be used to support emergency activities on the ground, in particular by strengthening support for international, national and local NGOs, which have easier access to the worst-hit and hard-to-reach areas. With infrastructure largely destroyed or inaccessible, these actors will ensure the distribution of food and drinking water, as well as the supply of medicines and basic healthcare, the setting up of emergency shelters and the protection of women and children.
An interminable war
For more than two years, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF has plunged Sudan into a serious humanitarian crisis. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 10 million people are currently displaced within the country and almost 4 million have fled to neighbouring countries, mainly Egypt, Chad and South Sudan. According to the UN, more than 30 million people are in need of humanitarian aid in Sudan.
Since April 2023, the FDFA has allocated more than CHF 135 million to supporting the affected populations in Sudan and neighbouring countries, and for the continuation of peace policy initiatives. These funds are divided between UN agencies, the ICRC and international NGOs, which work closely with local partners. The SDC has also seconded specialists from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit to several international humanitarian organisations active on the ground.
Switzerland is also active in Sudan within the framework of its peace policy. Since the beginning of the conflict, it has hosted confidential talks in Switzerland on several occasions and is working to support the search for a political solution to the conflict. These efforts are also backed by the dispatch of a special envoy to the Horn of Africa.
Address for enquiries:
FDFA Communication Bundeshaus West 3003 Bern +41 58 460 55 55 kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
