Cooperation programme – Sudan
After decades of conflict and fragile transitions, Sudan faces the gravest humanitarian crisis in its modern history. Switzerland’s Cooperation Programme 2026–2029 responds with a strategic and principled approach, building on Switzerland’s longstanding engagement and applying the instruments of humanitarian aid, peace policy and development cooperation under the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus (HDP).
Since the fall of the Bashir regime in 2019, Sudan has navigated a fragile transition marked by repeated political crises, notably a military coup in 2021. Hopes for civilian rule briefly revived with the 2022 Framework Agreement, but divisions within the security sector rapidly escalated. In April 2023, tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into full-scale war.
The conflict is devastating the country. As of January 2026, 33.7 million people require humanitarian assistance, over 12 million have been displaced, and more than 4 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries. Famine has been declared in several regions. Widespread and systematic sexual violence has placed an estimated 12 million women and girls at heightened risk, while men and boys are also affected. The collapse of basic services, mass displacement and overcrowding have fueled disease outbreaks, while climate shocks, including heavy rainfall and flooding, continue to erode already fragile livelihoods.
The conflict is also driven by competition over natural resources, namely gold, oil, and arable land, fueling entrenched war economies and drawing Sudan’s neighbors and regional actors into the conflict. Spillover effects are already visible, with an increasing risk of broader regional destabilization. Humanitarian access within Sudan remains severely restricted due to bureaucratic impediments, insecurity and repeated attacks on humanitarian aid workers. Since April 2023, territorial control has shifted frequently, with the RSF predominantly active in Darfur and the Kordofan states and the SAF retaining positions in northern and eastern areas, including Khartoum. Reports of increased tensions along ethnic lines, the proliferation of small arms, and grave human rights violations continue to surface.