UN Secretary-General urges end to Sudan’s three-year war amid worsening humanitarian conditions  

Africa, Crime Diary

INTERNATIONAL — 15 April 2026 (NPA) — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Sudan’s warring factions to urgently end the conflict that has ravaged the country for three years, leaving millions displaced and the nation on the brink of collapse.  

Marking the grim anniversary, Guterres reminded the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, that nearly 34 million people now require humanitarian assistance, while more than 4.5 million have fled across borders. “This nightmare must end,” he declared, urging the parties to embrace dialogue rather than violence.  

The war, which erupted in April 2023, stemmed from a bitter power struggle between the SAF and RSF over military integration and political control. What began in Khartoum quickly spread nationwide, destabilising neighbouring states and undermining Sudan’s fragile transition following the 2019 ouster of Omar al-Bashir.  

Sudan has suffered catastrophic losses: over 40,000 lives have been lost, and about 14 million people—nearly a quarter of the population—have been forced from their homes. Hospitals, schools, and water systems lie in ruins, while inflation, food shortages, and unreliable electricity have deepened the crisis.  

The UN has described Sudan as the world’s worst humanitarian emergency, with 21 million people lacking access to health services. Disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and mass displacement have left families in despair, pushing millions into refugee camps across the region. Guterres stressed that only a credible, inclusive, civilian-led political process can restore hope and stability to the Sudanese people.