Sudan
Humanitarian Catastrophe, Recovery and Reconstruction
Jan 13, 2026 / Vienna / Global Affairs
On January 13, 2026, the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), in cooperation with the Vienna School of International Studies and the Embassy/Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Sudan, hosted a public lecture on the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The lecture was given by His Excellency Magdi Ahmed Mofadal, Ambassador of Sudan to Austria, and was moderated by AIES President Dr. Werner Fasslabend.
The civil war in Sudan has raged on for three years, and has been labeled by the UN as the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of this moment. Twelve million people have been internally displaced, four million people have fled abroad, and half of Sudan’s population is at risk of starvation. Sudan’s strategic location has invited foreign involvement in the conflict, with neighbouring countries, as well as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE, supporting different sides in the civil war.
Despite the fact that the fighting has not stopped, Ambassador Mofadal stressed the need to send recovery aid, as people’s basic needs cannot be postponed. Aid will furthermore allow those who have been internally displaced to return home, and limit migration into neighbouring countries and the European Union. Recovery aid has however been hampered by overstretched foreign aid budgets due to conflicts in other parts of the world, as well as by international polarisation. Ambassador Mofadal hoped that Austria would speak up for Sudan if it were to take a seat on the UN Security Council in 2027, and will negotiate for debt relief within the framework of the Paris Club. He furthermore called upon the international community to increase pressure on the rebels and their foreign supporters.
A peaceful settlement of the conflict seems unlikely. The rebels have committed numerous atrocities, such as in El Jenina and El Faser, and previous ceasefire agreements such as that reached in Jeddah in 2023 have not been honoured. As a peaceful settlement would entail power-sharing, Ambassador Mofadal made it clear that his government is unwilling to share power with a group responsible for grave human rights abuses.
Related Events
Africa's Impact on Europe's Future
01.10.2025 / A discussion with insights from political, economic and demographic perspectives