On the escalation of the war and the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan

B100540/2025

European Parliament resolution on the escalation of the war and the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan

(2025/2984(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Sudan,

– having regard to the statement on Sudan of 20 November 2025 by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on behalf of the European Union,

– having regard to the joint statement of 12 September 2025 by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States (the Quad) on restoring peace and security in Sudan,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966,

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989,

– having regard to the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion or Belief of 1981,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas Sudan has experienced recurrent conflict since independence in 1956; whereas successive military and Islamist-led regimes have fuelled long-standing tensions between communities, culminating in the outbreak of large-scale violence in Darfur in 2003; whereas the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for individuals accused of atrocity crimes committed in Darfur;

B. whereas the joint military coup carried out by the leaders of both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October 2021 reversed the limited democratic progress made after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir’s Islamist regime in 2019; whereas since the coup, individuals affiliated with the former regime have regained influence across state structures;

C. whereas in April 2023, fighting erupted between the SAF and the RSF in the capital Khartoum, subsequently spreading across the country; whereas credible reports indicate that both the SAF and the RSF have committed grave violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law; whereas estimates suggest that more than 150 000 people may have been killed since the conflict began;

D. whereas in late October 2025, the RSF seized the city of El Fasher following an 18-month siege, consolidating control over most of western Sudan; whereas fighting has since escalated in the Kordofan region, located between RSF-held western territories and SAF-held territory in the east;

E. whereas places of worship have been targeted, attacked and misused for military purposes by both the SAF and the RSF over the course of the current conflict, in violation of international humanitarian law; whereas churches have been deliberately targeted, attacked and occupied during military offensives;

F. whereas Sudan’s current civil war continues to have a devastating impact on civilians, with UN agencies describing the conflict as both the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and the world’s largest displacement crisis;

G. whereas since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, multiple regional and international efforts have sought to end the fighting between the SAF and the RSF; whereas no sustained cessation of hostilities has been achieved to date;

H. whereas the EU and its Member States are the largest humanitarian donors to Sudan; whereas on 11 November 2025, the EU allocated another EUR 1 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, with EU support for 2025 thus amounting to EUR 272 million, and to EUR 573 million for the period 2024-2025; whereas EU humanitarian aid is delivered through UN agencies, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and the International Committee of the Red Cross;

I. whereas the ongoing conflict in Sudan threatens regional stability and creates conditions conducive to the presence and expansion of Islamist and terrorist groups, thereby further destabilising Sudan and neighbouring countries;

1. Strongly condemns the escalating violence in Sudan and the grave violations of international law committed by all parties; stresses that there is no viable military solution to the conflict in Sudan and that the continuation of hostilities inflicts unacceptable suffering on civilians and poses increasing risks to regional peace and security;

2. Calls on all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law and the commitments made under the Jeddah Declaration, protect civilians and ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Sudan; urges the SAF and the RSF to end indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure and to guarantee safe passage for civilians seeking to flee conflict-affected zones;

3. Urges all parties to engage in a credible Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led political process aimed at achieving a negotiated and sustainable end to the conflict, leading to the establishment of an independent, secular and democratic civilian-led government with broad legitimacy and strong accountability mechanisms;

4. Stresses that Sudan’s future cannot be shaped by violent extremist groups and networks, including those linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, whose destabilising influence has long fuelled violence and instability in Sudan and across the region;

5. Calls for an immediate end to all external military support for the parties to the conflict, as such support fuels and prolongs the war and contributes to Sudan’s destabilisation and that of the wider region; welcomes the stated commitment by US President Trump to seek to end the conflict in Sudan;

6. Calls on all parties to respect places of worship and cease all violations of freedom of religion and belief; stresses the need to protect vulnerable communities, who are particularly exposed, and are targeted by Islamist groups;

7. Stresses the importance of ensuring that Sudanese people fleeing the conflict find safety and protection in the region; warns that the continued conflict risks further fuelling illegal migration flows towards Europe, which are exploited by human trafficking networks and create security-related vulnerabilities for EU Member States;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government of Sudan and the African Union.