The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, accompanied by members of Canada's Sudanese community, announced today in Toronto, Ontario, that Canada is providing $132.2 million in international assistance funding, including $100.7 million in humanitarian assistance funding and $31.5 million in development assistance funding, to address urgent needs in Sudan and its neighbouring countries: the Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
Canada's humanitarian assistance funding will be delivered through experienced humanitarian partners in Sudan and its neighbouring countries. It will help provide emergency health services, food and nutrition assistance, protection services including for gender-based violence survivors, and other life-saving assistance, such as shelter, water and sanitation services, to crisis-affected people.
Canada is deeply concerned by the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, which was exacerbated by the outbreak of conflict in April 2023 and has displaced more than 6.5 million people within the country and has forced another 1.8 million to flee to neighbouring countries.
The $31.5 million in development assistance funding announced today complements the international assistance funding and supports critical programming in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and education in emergencies. The development funding is allocated as follows:
- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will receive $15 million in funding for the Inclusive and Transformative Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in South Sudan project, which will focus on addressing the root causes of barriers to SRHR services, including low demand due to highly discriminatory social and cultural norms in South Sudan.
- · Canada will also provide UNFPA with $10.5 million in funding for its Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Services in Sudan project, which aims to promote universal health coverage and improve access to life-saving sexual and reproductive health interventions for the people of Sudan.
- Canada has already provided UNFPA with $3 million in funding for Combatting and Responding to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Sudan, a project that focuses on improving the safety and dignity of women, girls and other vulnerable populations in Sudan through activities such as capacity building for health care providers, establishing safe spaces, distributing dignity kits and supporting women-led organizations in preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence.
- Canada has also provided UNICEF with $3 million in funding for education in emergencies in Sudan, which will enable immediate access to safe learning spaces that provide learning and life skill opportunities for the most marginalized and vulnerable children, especially girls.
This announcement comes as Canada prepares to participate in the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Its Neighbours, to be held in Paris, France, on April 15, 2024. The focus of the conference is on raising funds to address the critical needs of millions of people in Sudan and the region.
Canada's participation in the conference underscores the importance the country places on continuing to respond to the current crisis in Sudan and its commitment to supporting those who are facing its devastating consequences, both in Sudan and in neighbouring countries.
Canada has called on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, which includes the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.
