Secretary of State Antony Blinken has unveiled a new package of $230 million in aid for Sudan, a nation ravaged by conflict, during what is expected to be his final visit to the United Nations while in office.
As the U.N. Security Council faces unprecedented divisions, Blinken is set to preside over two significant meetings on Thursday, marking the conclusion of his four-year tenure that has been marked by the resurgence of war in Europe and various crises across the Middle East.
In addition to addressing the situation in Sudan, Blinken will also lead a session focused on artificial intelligence.
The aid package includes $200 million designated for humanitarian relief and $30 million aimed at supporting Sudan’s transition back to democratic governance.
With this latest announcement, total U.S. assistance has surpassed $2.3 billion since the onset of the conflict.
Sudan, primarily an Arab nation located on the fringes of sub-Saharan Africa, plunged into civil war in 2023 as clashes erupted between the military and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group that evolved from the infamous Janjaweed militia in Darfur.
Long-standing rivalries between military and paramilitary leaders ignited violence in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to Darfur and other areas.
Aid organizations have pointed out that Sudan has not garnered sufficient global attention.
While precise figures are hard to ascertain, it is estimated that at least 24,000 lives have been lost and millions have been displaced in a conflict that has largely been overshadowed by ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
