Trump’s Africa Envoy Calls Sudan War the “World’s Biggest Humanitarian Crisis” as Conflict Deepens
United States President Donald Trump’s Africa envoy, Massad Boulos, has described the conflict in Sudan as “the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis”, warning that the scale of suffering continues to grow as diplomatic efforts struggle to gain traction.
Speaking to AFP on Saturday, Boulos emphasised the urgency of international engagement, expressing hope that renewed diplomatic pressure could help pave the way for a ceasefire and eventual political settlement.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fierce fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
What began as a power struggle between rival generals has evolved into a catastrophic humanitarian disaster.
Over the past 19 months, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, while nearly 12 million people have been displaced both internally and across borders one of the largest displacement crises in modern history.
Humanitarian agencies warn that famine, disease outbreaks, and targeted attacks on communities risk pushing the country into total collapse.
Tensions escalated further at the end of October when RSF forces seized El-Fasher, the final major city in Darfur that remained outside their control.
The capture followed an 18-month siege marked by heavy bombardment, starvation tactics, and widespread reports of atrocities.
Human rights groups and UN officials have accused RSF fighters and allied militias of committing mass killings, systematic sexual violence, and ethnically targeted attacks echoing the horrors of Darfur’s past conflicts.
Boulos said the United States is working with regional and international partners to revive stalled mediation efforts, warning that delay could deepen instability across the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.
“This is not just a Sudanese crisis; it has become a regional emergency with global implications,” Boulos said, urging rival factions to return to negotiations and allow humanitarian access to besieged communities.
Despite multiple diplomatic attempts, including US-Saudi-led talks in Jeddah, neither side has committed to a sustained ceasefire.
Analysts say both the SAF and RSF believe they can achieve military victory, prolonging the suffering of millions of civilians trapped in the conflict.
As the war nears its second year, observers warn that Sudan is racing toward one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of the century unless the fighting stops and aid corridors are restored.
