UK pledges £5m for emergency aid and support for survivors of sexual violence in El Fasher

The Foreign Secretary has today, 1 November, announced £5 million of urgent funding to provide lifesaving support for Sudan.

Speaking at the 21st Manama Dialogue Conference in Bahrain, the Foreign Secretary condemned the truly horrifying and utterly intolerable scenes in El-Fasher where 260,000 people, half of whom are children, are trapped in famine-like conditions, surrounded by violence, and cut off from aid.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

In Sudan right now, there is just despair…

And just as the combination of leadership and international cooperation has made progress on Gaza, it is currently failing to deal with the humanitarian crisis and the devastating conflict in Sudan.

…For too long, this terrible conflict has been neglected, while suffering has simply increased…

…Today, I'm announcing from the UK Government a further £5 million of humanitarian support in response to the violence in El Fasher, on top of the £120 million the UK is already providing this year across Sudan.

The new UK funding will support critical humanitarian services, including emergency food supplies, medical care and protection for survivors of sexual violence. £2 million will be specifically allocated to bolster responses which focus on supporting the survivors of rape and sexual violence.

Following further reports that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continue to use rape as a weapon of war, the Foreign Secretary also said:

The reports from Darfur in recent days are truly horrifying. Atrocities, mass executions, starvation and the devastating use of rape as a weapon of war, with women and children bearing the brunt of the largest humanitarian crisis in the 21st Century.

The UK has led international diplomatic efforts to bring those responsible for inflicting suffering on innocent civilians to account. Of the £120 million for Sudan this year, this includes the delivery of life-saving food and health assistance, as well as support to those facing sexual violence through partners such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Sudan Humanitarian Fund and Cash Consortium Sudan.

UK diplomats continue to push all parties to cease hostilities, to protect civilians, to allow unhindered humanitarian access, and support a renewed international drive for peace.

Notes to editors