Bond statement on ICAI report on UK aid to Sudan

Today, Wednesday 15th October, The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) has released a comprehensive review examining the past six years of UK engagement with Sudan – including following the outbreak of ongoing conflict in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The report finds that while the UK has demonstrated strong leadership on the crisis, doubling annual spending to £231.3 million in 2024-25 for Sudan and neighbouring countries, there are many opportunities to improve the delivery of aid and coordinate the UK’s response more effectively across government.

The ICAI report also finds that:

UK influence on Sudan in recent years has been inconsistent, as a result of aid budget reductions in 2021-22 that damaged relationships with partners. However, recent funding increases have restored some credibility.
Whilst an allocation of £120 million in bilateral aid to Sudan for 2025-26 was announced following the UK’s decision to reduce the aid budget to 0.3% of gross national income, episodes of uncertainty around future aid levels have undermined the UK’s reputation as a reliable partner.
Women and girls in Sudan continue to face particular challenges, including large-scale conflict-related sexual violence, according to the report. While the UK has made gender equality central to its approach, many Sudanese women interviewed for the report felt international advocacy had not been matched by sustained action.

The ICAI report calls on the UK government to use lessons from the Sudan response to rethink and adapt its approach to major crises, given severe global funding pressures and rising humanitarian need worldwide. It also makes seven recommendations for strengthening UK engagement, including ensuring there is sustained high-level political attention on Sudan, backing Sudan’s priority status in UK development policy with multi-year protected funding, and adopting more agile aid delivery models for this and other similarly fragile contexts.

More than 30 million people require urgent humanitarian assistance in Sudan – two-thirds of the population – with another four million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries following the outbreak of conflict in April 2023. The conflict has also strained resources in neighbouring Chad and South Sudan, creating regional spillover effects that require coordinated international action.

In reaction to the ICAI review, Gideon Rabinowitz, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Bond, the UK network of NGOs, said:

“We welcome the UK’s renewed focus and increased funding for Sudan and neighbouring countries. The doubling of support to £231 million shows important leadership during this immense humanitarian crisis.

Yet the ICAI review highlights structural problems that continue to limit the UK’s impact. Following the previous round of UK aid cuts, volatile and unpredictable funding has weakened trust and reduced the effectiveness of the UK’s response. The government’s wider UK aid cutsrisk further damaging the UK’s credibility as a reliable partner.

The review confirms the urgent need for predictable, multi-year humanitarian funding, improved engagement with local organisations, and targeted, sustained support for women and girls. To realise these, the UK must streamline compliance procedures and channel funding directly to Sudanese and women-led organisations.

We urge the government to act on ICAI’s recommendations and ensure Sudan’s “priority country” status is backed by consistent political attention, direct support, adequate staffing, and a coherent regional strategy.”

ENDS.

Notes for editors

To request a copy of the ICAI report and press release please contact Lizzie Palmer on [email protected]
The Independent Commission for Aid Impact works to improve the quality of UK development assistance through robust, independent scrutiny.
Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 350 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
For further information or interviews, please get in touch with Emily Loynes at [email protected] or 07909947850