Sudan tops the Emergency Watchlist for the second year in a row, as the country’s collapse accelerates amid a devastating Muslim on Muslim civil war fueled by external powers. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023, has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
Sudan now holds two grim records: it has displaced 14.6 million people and left 30.4 million in need of humanitarian aid—more than any other crisis on record. Alarmingly, one in 10 people worldwide requiring humanitarian assistance is in Sudan. Experts warn the country is on the brink of one of the worst famines in decades, underscoring the deep global instability highlighted in this year’s Watchlist.
Despite the escalating crisis, SAF and RSF leaders have rejected diplomatic solutions, prioritizing their own interests through continued fighting. External powers have exacerbated the conflict, fueling the violence by supplying additional weapons instead of working toward peace.
