UK to Call for End to Sudan Bloodshed at Berlin Talks on War's Third Anniversary
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will urge Sudan's warring factions to "cease bloodshed" during a major conference in Berlin on Wednesday, marking the third anniversary of the devastating conflict. However, analysts are pessimistic about the summit delivering any significant breakthrough towards peace, citing ongoing tensions between key regional powers.
Humanitarian Catastrophe Deepens as Funding Falls Short
The Berlin talks aim to address a catastrophic funding shortfall exacerbating what is widely regarded as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Shockingly, only 16% of the required humanitarian funding for Sudan this year has been provided by the international community, with global attention often diverted by other crises.
Britain is among the nations set to announce new financial commitments at the conference. Cooper will unveil a doubling of UK aid to £15 million, specifically targeting Sudanese frontline responders like the grassroots volunteer network known as Emergency Response Rooms.
Emergency Hunger Levels Spread Across Multiple Regions
As the war enters its fourth year with no sign of abating between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army, the humanitarian situation grows increasingly dire. Latest assessments indicate that more than 19 million people now face acute hunger due to the fighting, with some areas at imminent risk of famine.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has identified "emergency" levels of hunger across much of North Kordofan, West Kordofan, South Kordofan, and North Darfur. In some communities, conditions remain "catastrophic." The IPC warns that emergency hunger levels are expected to spread in coming months, with the number of people needing humanitarian aid projected to reach 22-23 million.
Diplomatic Efforts Stalled Amid Regional Tensions
Despite the scale of suffering, Cooper maintains hope for ending the conflict. "Today, in Berlin, I will call for the international community to join in a shared resolve: to secure a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution, to stop the suffering, and allow the people of Sudan to determine their own peaceful future," she stated.
However, political momentum appears to have stalled. Sources reveal that talks between the so-called Quad nations—led by the US along with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which back the army, and the UAE, the RSF's principal patron—have failed to yield "meaningful progress."
Relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have particularly deteriorated, with acrimony emerging after clashes in Yemen over their respective proxy forces in December. The expected appearance of Donald Trump's political adviser on Africa, Massad Boulos, in Berlin has sparked some hope that these regional powers might be galvanized into action.
Conflict Expected to Worsen with Technological Escalation
In the absence of diplomatic breakthroughs, experts consensus is that Sudan's war will intensify, especially in the Kordofan region at the conflict's epicenter. Paul Byars, Sudan director of the Danish Refugee Council, predicted: "I think there'll be a worsening of the conflict in the Kordofan. Neither side will give up, which means they'll keep taking and retaking territory."
Technology is poised to exacerbate bloodshed further. The increasing use of drones means the traditional halt in fighting during Sudan's imminent rainy season is less likely to occur. On Tuesday, the UN reported that nearly 700 civilians have been killed in drone strikes in Sudan since January alone.
One source attending the Berlin conference summarized the grim outlook: "We don't expect anything major, certainly not on the political level." As millions face starvation and violence escalates, the international community's response remains critically inadequate to address one of this century's most severe humanitarian disasters.
