The war that broke out in Sudan on 15 April 2023 has caused the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Security restrictions, deliberate obstacles to aid delivery, and bureaucratic impediments significantly hinder a humanitarian response. Historically, the term “Sudanisation” has been used to describe decolonisation efforts and to control and influence the international aid sector. The response now also faces an immediate and dramatic shortfall in resources due to the decisions taken by several donor governments in early 2025 to cut funding. Against this background, this report considers how international non-governmental organisations have navigated the challenging environment to support the Sudanese in their survival.
Based on interviews with a wide range of individuals and organisations, as well as a review of various documents, this report highlights that the key to a more effective collective principled approach is not making everyone do the same thing. On the contrary, it is about recognising the added value and specific strengths of each actor and understanding how to achieve complementarity among their different approaches. A deeper collective dialogue on the definition of principled humanitarian action is however missing in Sudan. Instead of a reactive debate focusing on red lines, organisations should focus strategically on a framework for principled decision making, that does not preclude the exploration of diverse strategies. Actors across Sudanese civil society play a vital role and their contributions should be recognised and enhanced as part of a more inclusive humanitarian strategy that preserves their identity, added value, and flexibility. Ultimately, the responsibility lies with individual actors to assess whether alternative approaches align with their mandates and values, and with the collective to openly discuss and agree upon a common strategy. Importantly, the humanitarian principles should not be viewed as an ethical stumbling block but as part of a framework to help agencies weigh their decisions.