Why is Western Support Lacking for Sudan?

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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Sudan Humanitarian Crisis: A Deepening Tragedy

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has spiraled into a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Widespread atrocities are a daily reality. Think about the sheer scale of displacement: over 10.8 million people forced from their homes (World Report 2025: Sudan | Human Rights Watch).  This isn’t just a number; it’s families, communities, and entire lives shattered.

The conflict pits the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting has left 25 million people facing acute food insecurity. Famine was even confirmed in Darfur’s Zamzam displacement camp, a place already synonymous with suffering (World Report 2025: Sudan | Human Rights Watch), ($6 Billion Needed to Support Nearly 21 Million Sudanese Facing …).  As a result, imagine the desperation of families struggling to find their next meal, a struggle amplified by the deliberate blocking of aid.

Aid Obstruction in Sudan: Starvation as a Weapon

Both sides in this conflict, the SAF and the RSF, are actively blocking crucial humanitarian aid.  The SAF-aligned authorities are using bureaucratic hurdles. For instance, the RSF is looting aid supplies and preventing access to those most in need (World Report 2025: Sudan | Human Rights Watch), ($6 Billion Needed to Support Nearly 21 Million Sudanese Facing …).

Between August and September 2024, over 7 million people were denied aid because of these obstructions. Furthermore, this deliberate denial of food and medical supplies is a tactic of war. It’s a cruel and calculated strategy that has devastating consequences for innocent civilians.

Genocide in Darfur: Echoes of the Past

The horrors unfolding in Darfur are not new. However, they have reached a terrifying level of intensity.  In January 2025, the U.S. State Department determined that the RSF had committed genocide in Darfur (US: State Department Determines Genocide in Sudan), (Sudan Genocide Emergency: January 2025).  This determination speaks volumes.

There have been ethnically targeted massacres, systematic rape, and mass displacement.  Reports indicate that at least 10,000-15,000 people from the Masalit community were killed in El Geneina, West Darfur, alone (US: State Department Determines Genocide in Sudan), (Sudan Genocide Emergency: January 2025). The destruction of 145 healthcare facilities and attacks that purposely cripple food production showcase a strategic plan. A plan to inflict maximum suffering on the population.

UN Response to Sudan Conflict: A Call for Action

Despite the clear evidence of war crimes and a spiraling humanitarian catastrophe, the international response has been disappointingly slow.  The U.S., EU, and UK have imposed some sanctions on RSF-linked entities and individuals (World Report 2025: Sudan | Human Rights Watch), (US: State Department Determines Genocide in Sudan), (Sudan Genocide Emergency: January 2025).  However, these haven’t stopped the flow of weapons.

Investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Fact-Finding Mission lack enforcement power. Critically, the UN Security Council and the African Union have not deployed protection forces. Consider that Genocide Watch has called for a 10,000-troop UN/AU mission and enforceable sanctions (Sudan Genocide Emergency: January 2025). This highlights the gap between what’s needed and what’s being done.

Funding Gaps in Sudan Relief and Civilian Impact

The human cost of this conflict is staggering. While precise figures are hard to come by, estimates suggest that between 150,000 and 200,000 civilians have died, with the vast majority of those deaths going unrecorded (World Report 2025: Sudan | Human Rights Watch), (Sudan Genocide Emergency: January 2025).  Additionally, in Khartoum alone, an estimated 61,000 civilians have died.

Relief efforts are severely underfunded. As of September 2024, the humanitarian response plan was only about half-funded ($6 Billion Needed to Support Nearly 21 Million Sudanese Facing …). Further compounding the issue, neighboring countries like Chad and South Sudan, already struggling with their own crises, are hosting refugees. Leading to high rates of malnutrition and disease in the camps. This creates even greater pressure on those displaced from the war.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman is a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College, where he has been teaching since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.