The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has made a passionate and urgent appeal to regional and international partners, calling for dramatically strengthened coordination to bring an end to the devastating conflict in Sudan. Warning that the protracted war continues to devastate millions of lives and profoundly destabilize the wider Horn of Africa, regional leaders stress that immediate, unified action is no longer optional—it is an absolute necessity.
Speaking in Nairobi during the Third Special Envoys and Representatives Forum on Sudan, IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu cautioned that fragmented peace efforts risk prolonging a catastrophic conflict. The ongoing war has already triggered what is widely recognized as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The high-level meeting was hosted alongside Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi. It successfully brought together a wide array of influential stakeholders, including representatives from the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the League of Arab States, the Quartet, the Quintet, and various other vital mediation partners. The primary objective of the gathering was to harmonize disparate peace initiatives and create a united front.
“The ongoing conflict in Sudan continues to have far-reaching consequences for both Sudan and the wider region,” Dr. Workneh stated during his address. He emphasized the critical need for a shared strategic assessment, enhanced complementarity, and a clear, well-defined division of responsibilities among all peace actors involved.
Throughout the forum, participants strongly reaffirmed a foundational principle of the peace process: any lasting solution must be driven and owned by the Sudanese people themselves. “Sudan’s path to peace must remain Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led, supported by coordinated efforts towards lasting peace and stability,” the IGAD secretariat noted.
This renewed push for a cohesive and coordinated peace process comes as the United Nations releases its 2025 Sudan Annual Results Report, painting a grim picture of a nation entering its fourth year of war. According to the UN assessment, Sudan remains the single largest humanitarian emergency globally. Compounding this tragedy is a severe funding shortfall, with only 40 percent of the financial resources required for the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan actually received.
The report highlights how the conflict has exponentially intensified civilian suffering. Key areas of concern include rising casualties, widespread internal displacement, and escalating food insecurity that threatens vulnerable populations with starvation.
Furthermore, repeated and severe violations of humanitarian law continue unabated. The healthcare system has been severely disrupted, millions of children remain out of school, conflict-related sexual violence is increasingly utilized as a weapon of war, and drone attacks frequently target vital civilian infrastructure.
Despite these terrifyingly deteriorating conditions, the UN reported that dedicated humanitarian agencies and local partners continue to deliver life-saving aid. They are actively expanding operations into hard-to-reach communities wherever security conditions permit. As the war grinds into another year, the UN has issued a renewed call for humanitarian truces to allow safe passage for life-saving assistance, maintaining that a complete end to the conflict is the only true, lasting solution.
