NEW YORK CITY: The UN is seeking $1.6 billion in donations to provide life-saving assistance to 5.9 million people displaced by the conflict in Sudan internally and across seven neighboring countries, as humanitarian needs continue to outpace available resources.

The appeal, launched by the UN Refugee Agency and 123 partner organizations, aims to fund efforts to provide food, shelter, health care, protection services and other critical support for refugees and host communities affected by what the UN describes as an unprecedented displacement crisis.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said communities in countries hosting people fleeing Sudan have shown “remarkable solidarity,” but he warned that their capacity is being pushed to the brink as the conflict between warring military factions, which began in April 2023, drags on.

The funding request marks the fourth consecutive year in which the UN has issued an appeal of this scale for a regional response to the crisis in Sudan, reflecting the persistent shortfalls in humanitarian financing.

In addition to providing emergency assistance, the UN plan aims to promote longer-term solutions, including support for governments to integrate refugees into national systems and expand access to public services, Dujarric said.

He reiterated the UN’s call for stronger international backing of efforts to address chronic underfunding of operations in countries hosting people fleeing Sudan. He also urged all of those involved in the conflict to respect the principles of international humanitarian law.

“We reiterate once again, especially in light of the continued attacks on civilians, that the parties must respect international law and never target civilians, health infrastructure, religious sites, schools and other civilian facilities,” Dujarric said.