The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee advances human rights through grassroots collaborations.
UUSC Joins The Coalition for Mutual Aid in Sudan
By Deanna Johnson on October 10, 2024
Sudan is currently home to the largest human displacement crisis in the world. In April 2023, a fight for power broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), two conflicting military factions in the country. This violent power struggle continues today and has left over 15,000 people dead and nearly 10 million more displaced.
The fighting in Sudan has further crippled a country already battling major food insecurity, climate disasters, and political instability placing 15.8 million Sudanese people in need of humanitarian assistance. After the eruption of violence, that number has grown to over 25 million people—or half the country’s population—in need of humanitarian aid.
The United States’ Conflicted Role in the Crisis
The United States has been a key actor in trying to broker peace between the SAF and RSF. President Biden called “on the belligerents responsible for Sudanese suffering […] to pull back their forces, facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, and re-engage in negotiations to end this war.”
However, despite this call, the United States continues to support the Middle Eastern petrostate, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), even as they reportedly supply weapons, money, and drones to RSF fighters. On September 20, 2024, five members of Congress penned a letter to President Biden calling on him to formally condemn the actions of the UAE and urge UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to end RSF support.
Following a meeting on September 23 between President Biden and President Sheikh Mohamed, the White House released a statement that the two leaders “expressed their deep concern” and “reaffirmed their shared commitment to de-escalate the conflict, alleviate the suffering of the people of Sudan, ensure humanitarian assistance reaches the Sudanese people, and prevent Sudan from attracting transnational terrorist networks once again.” There was no mention of the UAE’s supply of weapons or support to the RSF.
UUSC’s Response: Resourcing Mutual Aid in Sudan
Internationally, UUSC and other organizations have been coming together in support of Sudanese civilians affected by the violence. In September, it was announced that UUSC and 12 other organizations have jointly committed to provide $6.5M and technical resources to mutual aid groups on the ground in Sudan over a three-year period. By supporting mutual aid in the country, the Coalition for Mutual Aid in Sudan will further support local organizations in providing the necessary local support for their communities.
UUSC Vice President, Rachel Gore Freed, said “while many are losing hope about the complex humanitarian crisis in Sudan, we know that local communities are meeting community needs when the government cannot and that this vacuum of power is an opportunity to build collective power. Resourcing local mutual aid work is not just about getting resources to communities—it is also about recognizing their dignity and power to rebuild their lives in the ways that they know best. This is a moment to ensure that funding can reach these communities in the most direct manner possible. This is why we are supporting the Sudan Mutual Aid Coalition.”
UUSC remains in solidarity with the people of Sudan during these terrifying times. For more information—and to act—visit:
You can also sign up for our email list and donate to our emergency fund. A contribution in any amount helps us support our partners in Sudan and around the world.
Image credit: Clinton Global Initiative
