Foreign Secretary David Lammy has announced an additional £20 million in funding to aid refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. The announcement was made during his historic visit to Adré,

a border town between Chad and Sudan, marking the first visit ever by a UK Foreign Secretary to the region.

Humanitarian support for refugees

The funding builds on the UK’s recent doubling of aid in November 2024, bringing the total humanitarian assistance to £226.5 million. This aid supports nearly 800,000 displaced people on the Chad-Sudan border, with over 88% of recipients being women and children. The funding is directed toward providing emergency food assistance, shelter, drinking water, healthcare, and education. Additionally, the UK is supporting increased food production and sexual and reproductive health services in the region.

Lammy emphasized the importance of keeping refugees within their immediate region to facilitate eventual returns when conditions improve. He warned that the ongoing conflict in Sudan has already displaced 3.6 million people to neighboring countries, many of whom continue their journey toward Europe and the UK.

Addressing the root causes of migration

The UK’s efforts to address the crisis in Sudan are part of the government’s broader Plan for Change, which aims to tackle the upstream drivers of migration and secure UK borders. Nearly 2,000 Sudanese nationals arrived in the UK via small boats in the year ending September 2024. The government is determined to reduce dangerous migration routes and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals by smuggling gangs.

A call for international action

Foreign Secretary Lammy highlighted the severity of the crisis, stating:
“Sudanese people are facing violence on an unimaginable scale. This is the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world. Millions have already fled their homes in the face of atrocities against civilians and famine on an unconscionable scale. The international community must act urgently to prevent the death toll from escalating further, which could drive instability and irregular migration into Europe and the UK.”

Lammy pledged that the UK would not let Sudan be forgotten, calling such neglect “unforgivable.” He stressed the need for global collaboration to re-energize political processes aimed at ending the conflict and ensuring aid reaches those in need.

Strengthening international efforts

The UK is pushing for greater international commitment to support mediation efforts led by regional actors, with Sudanese voices at the forefront. Lammy plans to convene a meeting of Foreign Ministers to galvanize global action, building on the UK and Sierra Leone’s UN resolution in November 2024, which gained the support of every UN Security Council member except Russia.

Ensuring aid accessibility

The UK continues to advocate for unrestricted access to border crossings and safe routes to deliver aid effectively. Lammy reiterated the importance of working with countries like Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan, which are managing the crisis on the frontlines.

By addressing the immediate humanitarian needs and tackling the root causes of instability, the UK aims to alleviate the suffering of Sudanese people and prevent further regional and global repercussions from this catastrophic conflict. Photo by Henry Wilkins/VOA, Wikimedia commons.