Sudan

    Following peaceful protests by the people of the Sudan, in particular young people and women, the autocratic Sudanese State President Omar al-Bashir was ousted by the military in April 2019. So far, however, it has not been possible to achieve a democratic transition. Since April 2023, the country has experienced heavy outbreaks of armed conflict in several parts of the country; the humanitarian situation has worsened massively.

    Prior to the ousting of al-Bashir, the country had experienced 30 years of dictatorship, civil war and the disenfranchisement and exclusion of large sections of the population. In autumn 2019, a military-civilian interim government took over. Its task was to draft a new constitution, implement far-reaching political and economic reforms, and prepare the ground for free general elections.

    The new reform course was brought to a halt in October 2021 when military forces under General Abdel Fattah Burhan took power. Demonstrations erupted in various parts of the country in response; several were accompanied by violent clashes. In December 2022, cornerstones were agreed for a new transitional phase, which was to lead to a civilian transitional government.

    Since April 2023, heavy fighting has occurred between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, who are trying to gain control of the country. The regions of Khartoum, Darfur, Al Jazira and North and South Kordofan are at the centre of the armed clashes.

    Both conflict parties are violating human rights and international law, for instance by bombing residential areas, committing murders, hijacking and using sexual violence.

    In response to the military coup in October 2021, the German government had already suspended its bilateral cooperation with the Sudanese government. Programmes to directly assist the people have been continued where possible.


    Humanitarian situation

    Women in the Gorom refugee camp in South Sudan, where many refugees from Sudan are sheltering

    Women in the Gorom refugee camp in South Sudan, where many refugees from Sudan are sheltering

    Since hostilities broke out in spring 2023, the human rights situation and the political, social and economic situation has worsened massively throughout the country.

    People, especially in the regions of Khartoum and Darfur, have only extremely limited access to water, food, medicines, fuel and power. The health system is on the brink of collapse. Some 70 to 80 per cent of health facilities are permanently closed.

    The heavy fighting has so far forced more than 12 million people to flee their homes. The majority, 8.6 million people have fled to other regions of the country; others have fled to neighbouring countries, especially Chad, South Sudan and Egypt (figures: UNHCR, as at December 2024). The refugee camps are overcrowded and more and more people are dying from infectious diseases such as measles and cholera.

    Almost five million Sudanese people are suffering acute hunger. Humanitarian organisations are warning that this emergency situation could deteriorate to unprecedented levels. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that the number of people affected by acute food insecurity has risen from 5.8 million to almost 26 million.

    The roughly 24 million children in Sudan are especially hard hit by the dramatic situation. According to information from the UN children’s fund UNICEF millions of these children are currently not able to attend school, 13.6 million depend on humanitarian aid (as at November 2024).

    On the current United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) Sudan is ranked 170th out of the 193 countries assessed. The current (2024) Fragile States Index published by the non-governmental organisation Fund for Peace ranks Sudan 2nd out of 179.

    Development cooperation activities

    The past

    Germany suspended its development cooperation with Sudan after Omar al-Bashir seized power in 1989. After the toppling of the long-standing dictator in April 2019, Germany became involved at an early stage to support democratic change in Sudan and resumed bilateral development cooperation.

    In June 2020, Germany organised a Sudan partnership conference in support of the country. It was aimed at mobilising political and financial support for the country’s transition process. The international partners committed a total of 1.8 billion US dollars to Sudan.

    After the military coup on 25 October 2021, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) suspended Germany’s activities in support of the transition in Sudan. Programmes to directly assist the people have been continued where possible.

    In April 2023, the situation escalated again. Fighting is continuing, with mounting casualties. For security reasons and because certain regions are difficult to access, Germany’s development activities were adjusted and transferred to more stable parts of the country.

    Germany’s current activities in support of the people in Sudan

    Development projects that contribute to food security and the fulfilment of basic needs of the people and enhance people’s resilience are being continued – provided the security situation permits.

    The BMZ partners with the German implementing organisations and, in particular, the World Food Programme of the United Nations (WFP), the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank and international nongovernmental organisations.

    Here are some examples.

    • Together with UNICEF the BMZ is supporting a project in the south of the country which is working with local initiatives to make basic services available in the disadvantaged regions of Blue Nile and South Kordofan. Some 83,000 people have been given better access to drinking water and sanitation services.
    • Cold chain storing facilities for vaccines were built in the federal states of Kassala and Gedaref via a UNICEF project before the conflict broke out. They are used to store urgently needed vaccines against polio and measles. They have become the central vaccine storage facilities for eastern Sudan and serve as a hub for health services in the region.
    • The BMZ is promoting micro and small enterprises in Sudan in cooperation with the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF). These small enterprises provide jobs and help to provide water, energy and health products for the people of Sudan.

    To alleviate immediate suffering, Germany is also delivering humanitarian aid through the Federal Foreign Office. In 2023 alone, 250 million euros were spent on this aid which benefits the people in Sudan and neighbouring countries that have accepted hundreds of thousands of refugees.

    On 15 April 2024, the anniversary of the outbreak of the conflict, Germany, France and the EU are hosting a humanitarian conference in Paris for Sudan and its neighbouring countries.

    Multilateral activities in the field of education

    The BMZ is the biggest donor of the international education fund Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and promotes a multiannual programme via this fund together with other donors to increase resilience. The project is being implemented by UNICEF and Save the Children.

    The programme provides safe and inclusive learning spaces for children and young people and offers psychosocial counselling. As the fourth largest donor of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Germany is also financing a significant part of a newly planned education programme to improve the quality of learning. This programme is primarily supporting ongoing training for teaching staff and financing teaching material.

    Multilateral activities in the field of health

    Together with other donors the BMZ is promoting programmes of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Sudan. In addition, Germany is contributing to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) who are all implementing health activities in Sudan.

    In comparison: SDG trends for Germany

    Further information

    As at: 12/04/2024