Europe: Sudan war ‘world’s worst child displacement crisis,’ Paris conference told – as it happened

The arm size of a Sudanese child suffering from malnutrition is examined at a refugee camp in Chad. Photograph: EPA

5.14pm BST

Summary of the day

• Senior officials gathered in Paris for an international humanitarian conference on Sudan, co-organised by France, Germany and the European Union.

• Stéphane Séjourné, the French foreign minister, expressed his solidarity with the Sudanese people and conveyed a sense of urgency to mobilise the international community and provide more financing for humanitarian assistance.

• Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, said “what we are witnessing in Sudan is the worst child displacement crisis in the world.”

• Janez Lenarčič, the European commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, said “the first thing that we have to do is to make sure that Sudan is not forgotten.”

• Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, has said the war in Sudan “has triggered the worst humanitarian crisis in the world” and “we must put an end to this man-made disaster.”

• He also presented a five-point list of priorities, including reaching a humanitarian truce.

• The UK imposed new sanctions on businesses linked with financing Sudan’s warring parties.

• Canada announced sanctions on six individuals and entities for directly or indirectly undermining peace, security and stability in Sudan.

• Arif Noor, country director of Save the Children in Sudan, said “enough sitting on the fence. Children and families in Sudan need leaders to commit to more funding today.”

• Laetitia Bader, Horn of Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said that the “donors meeting in Paris on Sudan need to fund the shamefully under-supported humanitarian response including finding innovative ways to support local responders.”

• The French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced that donors have pledged over 2 billion euros for Sudan.

4.57pm BST

More than €2bn committed for Sudan, Macron announces

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, announced at the end of today’s conference that more than 2 billion euros will be mobilised for aiding Sudanese people.

EN DIRECT |Clôture de la Conférence humanitaire internationale pour le Soudan et les pays voisins : le discours du Président @EmmanuelMacron. https://t.co/T9vfNyCZgU

— Élysée (@Elysee) April 15, 2024

Updated at 5.03pm BST