British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper will use a Berlin summit on Wednesday, the third anniversary of Sudan's war, to urge all combatants to halt the fighting. The gathering, organized by the United Nations and attended by a range of international actors, aims to address a severe funding gap that is deepening what the UN describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
Only 16 percent of the aid required for Sudan this year has been secured, as diplomatic attention remains focused on the conflict in Iran. Britain will announce a doubling of its contribution, raising its pledge to £15 million for frontline responders such as the volunteer network Emergency Response Rooms. More than 19 million Sudanese are now facing acute hunger, with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification reporting "emergency" levels of hunger across North, West and South Kordofan and North Darfur, and "catastrophic" conditions in some communities. The agency warns that the number of people needing assistance could climb to 22‑23 million in the coming months.
Cooper said, "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." Analysts, however, doubt that the talks will produce a breakthrough. Sources note that negotiations among the so‑called Quad nations – the United States, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which back the Sudanese army – and the United Arab Emirates, the main patron of the Rapid Support Forces, have stalled. Relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have soured after December clashes between their proxy forces in Yemen.
The expected presence of Massad Boulos, a political adviser to former US President Donald Trump on Africa, has sparked limited optimism, but a conference attendee cautioned, "We don't expect anything major, certainly not on the political level." Without a diplomatic shift, experts predict the conflict will intensify, especially in the Kordofan region where both sides continue to seize and retake territory. The UN reported that nearly 700 civilians have been killed by drone strikes in Sudan since January, suggesting that the usual seasonal lull in fighting may no longer occur.
The most striking element of the Berlin summit is not the modest £15 million boost from the UK, but the symbolic weight of a Trump‑linked adviser joining the talks. Massad Boulos's attendance may create the impression of renewed US engagement, yet the conference's own participants admit no substantive political progress is expected. This juxtaposition highlights how high‑profile names can mask the underlying inertia of the diplomatic process.
The stalemate reflects a broader pattern where proxy wars in Africa are increasingly driven by external patrons and advanced weaponry. The rapid deployment of drones, already responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths, erodes traditional cease‑fire windows tied to seasonal rains and signals a shift toward more relentless, technology‑enabled conflict. The inability of the Quad and the UAE to bridge their divergent interests underscores how regional rivalries are reshaping peace‑building efforts.
For Nigeria and the wider continent, the Sudan impasse illustrates the vulnerability of humanitarian financing when global attention is diverted elsewhere. With only a fraction of required aid flowing, developing nations risk being sidelined in crises that demand swift, coordinated responses. The limited funding also serves as a warning that donor fatigue can exacerbate food insecurity across the Sahel and beyond.
Observers should monitor the Kordofan front, where the Danish Refugee Council's Paul Byars predicts a worsening of hostilities. Escalation there, combined with the growing use of drones, could set a precedent for future African conflicts, making the region's security landscape increasingly volatile.
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