Summary
Switzerland is providing 23 million francs in 2026 to support the population in Sudan and neighboring countries. This was announced by Tim Enderlin, head of the Peace and Human Rights Division at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, at the Sudan conference in Berlin on the third anniversary of the outbreak of war. The funds focus on food security, protection of civilians, and peace promotion. Parliament approved an emergency credit of 50 million francs in December 2025. Since the war began in April 2023, Switzerland has mobilized a total of approximately 213 million francs.
Persons
- Tim Enderlin (Head of Peace and Human Rights Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
Topics
- Humanitarian Aid Sudan
- Swiss Foreign Policy
- Peace Promotion
- International Law
Clarus Lead
Switzerland is intensifying its engagement in Sudan at the height of a hunger crisis: Over 33 million people – two-thirds of the population – depend on humanitarian aid, while 13 million people are displaced. The Berlin conference signals that despite the stalemate between SAF and RSF, international actors remain committed to diplomatic solutions. Swiss particularity: The mediating role through confidential dialogue and the inclusion of women in negotiation processes distinguishes the Swiss approach from purely military or humanitarian response.
Detailed Summary
The armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has developed into one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises since April 2023. Control is geographically fragmented: SAF dominates the center (including Khartoum) and the northeast, RSF controls the west and south. The consequences are devastating – tens of thousands dead, famine, collapse of health, education, and economic systems, and systematic sexual violence as a war tactic.
Switzerland works with UN agencies, the ICRC, and local organizations to provide assistance on the ground. Beyond the humanitarian dimension, Switzerland pursues a peace strategy through the Peace and Human Rights Division: Since the outbreak of war, it has hosted and led confidential dialogues with all political currents and created spaces for women's participation in international negotiation initiatives. This combination of direct aid, rule of law promotion, and inclusive diplomacy positions Switzerland as an actor that goes beyond classical emergency aid.
Key Points
- Switzerland is deploying 23 million francs for Sudan aid in 2026; a total of 213 million francs since the war began
- 33 million people (two-thirds of the population) depend on humanitarian aid; 13 million are internally displaced persons or refugees
- Swiss strategy combines emergency aid, peace promotion, and inclusive diplomacy (with a focus on women's participation)
Critical Questions
Evidence/Data Quality: On what sources are the figures on "tens of thousands of deaths" based? Are these figures confirmed by independent monitoring organizations, or do they come from party statements?
Source Validity: How is geographic control between SAF and RSF verified when the conflict is highly dynamic and front lines are shifting? Are the figures current at the time of the conference?
Conflicts of Interest: To what extent could Switzerland's mediating role be influenced by its humanitarian aid? Is there a risk that one of the conflict parties will instrumentalize aid as an incentive for negotiations?
Causality: Does the analysis distinguish which famine components are directly caused by combat operations and which result from economic collapse or inflation?
Feasibility: How is it ensured that humanitarian funds actually reach the civilian population and are not diverted by conflict parties?
Peace Promotion: What concrete progress have the "confidential dialogues" made since April 2023, or do they primarily serve to legitimize engagement?
Sources
Primary Source: Third Anniversary of the Outbreak of War in Sudan: Switzerland Continues Humanitarian Aid and Search for Peaceful Conflict Resolution – State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) / Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), 15.04.2026
Verification Status: ✓ 15.04.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 15.04.2026