The United States has announced it will provide more than $315 million in additional humanitarian aid to support the people of Sudan, who are facing one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
This decision comes as Sudan grapples with ongoing conflict and displacement.
Samantha Power, the Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), highlighted the need for immediate action, calling on the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to stop obstructing aid delivery.
She emphasized that blockages are the primary cause of severe starvation in Sudan, rather than inadequate food supplies.
According to the United Nations, nearly 25 million people, which is about half of Sudan's population, require aid, and about eight million have been displaced from their homes.
The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF, has led to the world's largest displacement crisis.
The United Nations Security Council has demanded that the RSF lift the siege of El Fasher and immediately halt the fighting. El Fasher, with a population of 1.8 million, is located in North Darfur state.
Senior UN officials have warned that escalating violence around El Fasher could trigger widespread tribal conflicts throughout Darfur.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, stressed that the Security Council must consider all options, including allowing aid to be transported from neighboring countries if the warring parties do not adhere to international law and facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid.
She also emphasized the need for increased efforts to compel the warring factions to cease fighting and return to negotiations.
Furthermore, she urged external supporters to stop supplying weapons that fuel the conflict.
The US continues to push for the resumption of ceasefire talks, following a conversation between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, where al-Burhan did not agree to return to negotiations.
Negotiations, previously brokered by the US and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, have been stalled for months after failing to achieve a lasting ceasefire.
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