By Daphne Psaledakis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States will announce an additional $100 million in aid to respond to the conflict in Sudan on Sunday, according to a statement seen by Reuters, as Washington seeks to spur the international response ahead of the war’s anniversary on Monday.
U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power said in the statement that the additional funding, first reported by Reuters, would go toward emergency food assistance, nutrition support and other life-saving aid.
The power will also ask the parties to the conflict to stop impeding humanitarian access and to participate in “good faith negotiations to reach a ceasefire” to prevent famine and further suffering, according to the statement.
“One year ago tomorrow, the people of Sudan woke up to a nightmare,” Power said.
“The warring sides have turned crowded neighborhoods into battle zones, killing thousands of people, leaving bodies in the streets and trapping civilians in their homes without adequate food, water and medicine.”
War broke out in Sudan on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), devastating the country’s infrastructure.
Thousands of civilians have been killed, although estimates of the number of victims are highly uncertain, and both sides have been accused of committing war crimes.
The war has pushed millions of people into extreme hunger, created the world’s largest displacement crisis and triggered waves of ethnic-based killings and sexual violence in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
Washington’s announcement of further assistance comes ahead of a humanitarian conference in France on April 15. The United States urged partners around the world to give greater priority to the conflict in Sudan and increase funding for the conference.
“We ask others to join us in increasing support for the people of Sudan and urgently mobilize further support for the Sudanese response,” Power said.