On the Third Anniversary of the War in Sudan

On the Third Anniversary of the War in Sudan

On 16 April 2023, Sudan's internal power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into a full-scale civil war, soon evolving into a regional and international proxy conflict. The crisis now threatens millions of lives, destabilizes North and East Africa, and disrupts Red Sea navigation. Humanitarian reports warn of catastrophic consequences, with Sudan's infrastructure in ruins and its people facing violence, displacement, and human rights abuses.

by Wolfram Vetter,

Head of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Sudan

On 16 April 2023, Sudan's internal power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into a full-scale civil war, soon evolving into a regional and international proxy conflict. The crisis now threatens millions of lives, destabilizes North and East Africa, and disrupts Red Sea navigation. Humanitarian reports warn of catastrophic consequences, with Sudan's infrastructure in ruins and its people facing violence, displacement, and human rights abuses.

Amid global conflicts, particularly the wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Gulf, the European Union (EU) remains engaged in Sudan, balancing strategic interests with its core values. Through over 37 development and humanitarian projects (worth at least €500 million), implemented via UN agencies and international and national NGOs, the EU has contributed to the mitigation of some of the war's worst effects. Critics argue this aid falls short, but without it, the crisis would be even graver.

Diplomatically, the EU - led by its Special Representative for the Horn of Africa and member states like France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and others - works to unify international efforts, coordinate aid, and press for a ceasefire. It has hosted and participated in high-level meetings (in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Nairobi, Cairo, and Washington) to bridge divisions among Sudan's fractured political and civil factions, deepened by three decades of Islamist rule.

The EU has also imposed targeted sanctions on warring parties and their backers, aligned with regional and global partners to ensure enforcement. Sudan remains a priority on the EU Foreign Affairs Council's agenda, with the bloc's latest strategic vision outlined in the October 2025 Council Conclusions. Additionally, the EU has reopened its Sudan mission (operating as a sub-office within the EU Delegation to Egypt), leveraging Egypt's pivotal role, which hosts over six million Sudanese refugees, to facilitate diplomatic and humanitarian activities. An office of ECHO, the EU's humanitarian arm has opened an office in Port Sudan.

Yet the EU insists that only the Sudanese can end this war. As Nelson Mandela once said, "Peace demands sitting down with those you oppose." Each day of fighting deepens Sudan's fragmentation, fuels regional instability, and inflicts untold suffering on its people.

On this third grim anniversary of the conflict, the EU reaffirms: Sudan's stability is vital-its collapse would unleash chaos across the Horn of Africa, North Africa, and the Red Sea, a red line for Europe. We urge all Sudanese parties, military and civilian, to commit to an immediate ceasefire and we call on international and regional actors to unite in de-escalating the crisis, preserving Sudan's unity, and blocking extremist advances.

The EU will sustain humanitarian and development support, strengthen coordination via the Quintet (UN, EU, AU, LAS, IGAD), and push for a Sudanese-led and owned political solution. We will continue engaging warring factions to secure a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian access, while backing genuine peace initiatives. Peace in Sudan is not a single act but a relentless process demanding opportunity, sacrifice, and persistence to dismantle divisions and build a stable future.