News 14 September 2026 Sudan Aid Could Collapse Within Weeks Amidst Conflict, Rising Needs: IOM Chief Warns

Port Sudan/Geneva, 14 September 2026 - As hundreds of thousands of displaced people across Sudan continue to face severe shelter shortages and heightened risks from ongoing fighting and heavy rains, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is warning of an eminent end to Sudan's emergency relief supply via the IOM Common Humanitarian Pipeline.

"We simply can't turn our back on the people of Sudan when they need us most amid raging conflict, increased displacement and impact of heavy rain," said Amy Pope, IOM Director General. "The entire humanitarian system could collapse within weeks if we don't act now. Without new funding, we won't be able to get help where it's needed most."

IOM's warning comes as needs remain acute amid heightened displacement in conflict and crisis-affected communities across Sudan, leaving vulnerable families exposed and the humanitarian system on the edge of collapse. To date, 8.6 million people remain internally displaced and 4.9 million returnees have been recorded by IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix. Nearly 70 per cent of internally displaced people are living with host families or in informal settlements. Ongoing violence, floods and heavy rains continue to damage shelters forcing people to move.

Managed by IOM, the Common Humanitarian Pipeline system has reached 2.84 million people since July 2023. Yet its reach is shrinking even as needs remain all-time high: more than 1 million people were assisted through the Pipeline in 2024, falling to 804,000 in 2025, while so far in 2026, IOM has provided shelter and emergency support kits to 330,000 people.

Without immediate donor support, current shelter, sanitation and emergency household relief items are expected to be depleted by the end of September 2026. The warehousing and operational capacity that keeps the Pipeline functioning can only be sustained until December 2026.

As a shared logistics system for the UN and its partners and one of the key enablers of the humanitarian response in Sudan, the Common Pipeline enables timely, coordinated and efficient dispatch of emergency relief items to people in need. The disruption of the Pipeline would significantly weaken the humanitarian community's ability to rapidly deliver and mobilise lifesaving-assistance through a network of more than 100 registered partners. Rebuilding the system after any interruption would be a complex, costly and time-consuming process, requiring substantive resources to reestablish supply chains, operational systems and partner coordination networks.

IOM requires USD 15 million to maintain the Common Pipeline at its 2026 minimum capacity for 12 months, supporting 305,000 people. USD 27 million would restore assistance to approximately 2025 levels and reach 570,000 people, while USD 42 million would enable a scale-up to provide immediate lifesaving support for up to one million people.

For displaced families, inadequate shelter carries wider risks. Prolonged exposure to weather, disease and insecurity can heighten risks of gender-based violence, family separation and eviction in overcrowded sites. Continued underfunding also raises the risk of shelter failure and flood-related secondary displacement in sites already at or beyond capacity.

With relief item stocks expected to run out by the end of September and operational capacity at risk thereafter, funding will now determine whether this established emergency supply mechanism remains ready to respond amid ongoing conflict-related displacement and the current rainy season.

For more information, please contact IOM Media Center.