Britain increases money for Sudan conflict victims during a meeting

Britain, hosting a conference honoring the two-year anniversary of the conflict, announced Tuesday it would send an additional 120 million pounds ($158 million) in help to people in Sudan, which it said suffers the greatest humanitarian catastrophe on record.

A power struggle between the army and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces set off the war in April 2023, destroying any prospects of a civilian transition.

Since then, millions have been displaced by the violence, which has also destroyed areas like Darfur, where the RSF is currently battling to cling onto its stronghold as the army advances in Khartoum.

Sudan criticized the fact that its government was not invited to the London conference, but Britain claimed the meeting would be an opportunity to improve the coherence of the international response to the crisis rather than mediating directly in the war.

According to David Lammy, the British Foreign Secretary, the conflict has been going on for far too long “and yet much of the world continues to look away.”

He added in a statement that the fighters had demonstrated “an appalling disregard” for Sudanese civilians, saying, “We need to act now to stop the crisis from becoming an all-out catastrophe, ensuring aid gets to those who need it most.”

Along with the European Union, France, Germany, and the African Union, Britain is co-hosting the London summit. Other countries attending include Egypt, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates.

The foreign minister of Sudan has written to Lammy to express dissatisfaction, arguing that Sudan ought to have been invited and denouncing the UAE and Kenya’s attendance.

U.N. experts and U.S. senators have deemed the UAE’s denial of Sudan’s accusation that it armed the RSF to be plausible. The RSF and its supporters held talks to establish a parallel administration in Kenya, which prompted Sudan to remove its representative.

As stated by African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security Bankole Adeoye, “achieving peace in Sudan depends on valuing every voice and everyone playing a role in building a prosperous Sudan.”

CUT AID

According to Britain, 12 million people were displaced, 30 million people in dire need of relief, and hunger was sweeping throughout Sudan. In January, Lammy traveled to the Sudan-Chad border, and in November, he announced a separate aid package for 113 million pounds.

Nonetheless, Britain’s assistance to war victims coincides with the government cutting back on international aid to fund higher defense expenditures.

While Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to keep providing relief to civilians in Sudan, which is one of three priority along with Gaza and Ukraine, his development minister resigned, claiming that Britain’s aid priorities could not be sustained and that the cuts would eventually damage Britain’s standing internationally.

A 141-page dossier detailing alleged war crimes committed by the RSF was turned in to the UK police’s special war crimes unit on Tuesday by attorneys representing Sudanese victims. The lawyers asked that the material be forwarded to the International Criminal Court, which has jurisdiction over atrocity crimes in Darfur.

In order to encourage the two governments to collaborate more closely on responsibility for Darfur, the lawyers said they sent the dossier through the UK police instead than straight to the ICC.