Dear President von der Leyen,
As we mark three years of the devastating conflict in Sudan, our organizations once again call on the European Union (EU) and its member states to take urgent action to protect civilians and ensure accountability for serious, ongoing human rights violations.
The conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that erupted in April 2023 continues to be a devastating war on civilians. Civilians, including civil society actors, have been deliberately targeted by both parties to the conflict. Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), activists, journalists, medical professionals, humanitarian workers, human rights defenders (HRDs), civilians opposing the war and those perceived to be aligned with opposing forces have faced attacks, harassment, arbitrary detention and killings. This sustained assault forecloses pathways to genuine accountability and to any form of civilian-led or human rights-based political transition.
Over recent months, the RSF has continued to commit widespread atrocities. During their final onslaught on El Fasher, the RSF carried out daily bombardments, forcing people still in the city to shelter in an increasingly small area, while the forces tightened their siege, leaving people including children to survive on animal fodder. During their takeover of El Fasher, the RSF massacred civilians and unarmed fighters seeking to flee the city, committed widespread sexual violence against women and girls, and took many people hostage, demanding ransom from family members in exchange for their release.
Kordofan region and Blue Nile States are the new epicentre of the conflict. As fighting escalates, civilians in the region’s cities are under siege, unable to access humanitarian aid and basic essential services, at risk of ongoing bombardments, and unable to flee to safety. As the RSF continues to attack key cities including El Obeid, there is significant risk of further atrocities like those that occurred in El Fasher repeating in this region.
The United Nations (UN) Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) (February 2026) and the Joint FFM of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) (October 2025) have both reported serious and massive human rights violations against civilians and underscored the urgent need for swift international action to protect civilians. Following the UN FFM report that found “hallmarks of genocide” taking place in El Fasher, the Sudan Core Group at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) - Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom - announced a new coalition on atrocity prevention in Sudan.
EU Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions adopted in October 2025 reflected important asks on the protection of civilians, rule of law, accountability, respect for international humanitarian law and human rights law, and imposed restrictive measures following the RSF's brutal siege and capture of El Fasher. Yet the EU response remains at odds with the gravity of the crisis and the atrocities committed on civilians by the warring parties.
Ahead of this third anniversary of the conflict and the planned international conference in Berlin, our organizations call on the EU and its member states to deliver in practice on their stated commitments [1] and act robustly and strategically for human rights of all those affected by the devastating conflict in Sudan:
- Protect civilians
- Prioritize robust action toward protection of civilians and take steps to operationalize the Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions’ commitment to “advance concrete measures for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure,” including by joining and building on the momentum of the newly created coalition on atrocity prevention.
- Use all instruments at the EU and member states’ disposal to urgently respond to serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Sudan and to hold perpetrators to account for these violations.
- Seize the opportunity of the planned Ministerial Conference on Sudan in Berlin on 15 April to redouble efforts toward protection of civilians, accountability for violations and humanitarian aid for those affected by the conflict in Sudan and displaced in the region.
- Ensure that the situation of women and girls in Sudan and in particular ongoing conflict-related sexual violence, is at the centre of discussions at the Berlin conference and efforts aimed at addressing the Sudan conflict.
- Call on all countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to respect the UN Security Council arms embargo on Darfur by refraining from all transfers of weapons and ammunition to the SAF, the RSF and other armed actors. Ensure that all countries and entities that have violated the Darfur arms embargo are held accountable.
- Work within the UN Security Council to expand the arms embargo regime that currently applies to Darfur to the rest of Sudan.
- Increase emergency funding for the humanitarian response in Sudan as well as in refugee camps in neighbouring countries.
- Ensure sufficient support to social services in emergencies and lend specific support for the protection, care, treatment and support mechanisms for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
- Condemn violations committed by all warring parties, urging them to:
- Immediately cease all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including indiscriminate attacks, summary executions and widespread rape and sexual violence against women and girls, as well as the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, markets and places of worship.
- Immediately end all abuses resulting from ongoing sieges of cities, in particular in Kordofan, facilitate the delivery of aid, and allow safe passage for civilians trying to escape violence.
- Facilitate rapid, unrestricted and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to ensure aid reaches all those in need, protect humanitarian relief personnel and facilities, and end all attacks on humanitarian and health workers, including members of the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs).
- Cease attacks and harassment of Sudanese activists, journalists, civil society and human rights defenders in Sudan and abroad.
- Restore communication services in all of Sudan, ending internet blackouts that violate Sudanese people’s right to information, hinder the delivery of humanitarian and emergency services, impact on the safety and protection of civilians and obstruct crucial monitoring and reporting on ongoing violations.
- Champion justice and accountability
- Fully resource and support all ongoing efforts toward investigation and accountability, including the work of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan established by the UN Human Rights Council.
- Ensure that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has adequate resources and full political backing for its work, and press for the expansion of its jurisdiction to international crimes committed in the whole of Sudan.
- Engage with the warring parties and neighbouring states to facilitate access for all these accountability mechanisms to territories under their control.
- Strengthen the use of universal jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute those responsible for grave violations in Sudan and ensure they do not find safe haven within EU member states.
- Support Sudanese civilians, human rights defenders, civil society and journalists
- Ensure genuine, broad-based consultation with Sudanese human rights defenders and civil society organizations, including local humanitarian responders and journalists – and the inclusion of their views and concerns in any peace process or other decision-making that affects them.[2]
- Ensure protection and support for people fleeing Sudan, opening safe and regular pathways, and engaging neigbouring countries to do likewise, by opening their borders for Sudanese refugees. All states should refrain from returning Sudanese nationals to Sudan or to any third country where they may be at risk of being returned to Sudan.
- Ensure crucial longer-term support to Sudanese HRDs including journalists (including those in exile) to be able to continue their important work. Provide support to human rights defenders’ relocation programs, offer safe refuge to those at risk and provide legal pathways for asylum.
Signatories:
Amnesty International
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Human Rights Watch
Front Line Defenders
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
[1] See the Council Conclusions of 20 October 2025 signaling the EU and member states’ stated commitment to “increased engagement”, including on “ensuring rapid, unimpeded and sustainable humanitarian access and the protection of civilians across all of Sudan... [and] restoring and strengthening rule of law, accountability, respect for international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, and justice in Sudan.” In parallel, the European Parliament resolution of 27 November 2025 highlights the wide range of human rights and humanitarian concerns in Sudan, and calls on the EU and its member states to “redouble diplomatic efforts towards both warring parties and use all instruments at their disposal to ensure access for all accountability mechanisms, to urgently respond to serious human rights and international humanitarian law violations in Sudan and to hold perpetrators to account for these violations.” Most recently in February 2026, the EU called for accountability at the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), citing “unlawful attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian operations, which have resulted in unspeakable suffering of the Sudanese people over the past three years.”
[2] See African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies and Sudan Human Rights Monitor, Memorandum to the Sudan Conference, Berlin, April 15, 2026, 7 April 2026 (also available in Arabic).
