Sudan
Sudan is a country in north-eastern Africa, bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the north-east, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the south-west, Chad to the west and Libya to the north-west. The capital is Khartoum, located at the confluence of the Blue Nile and White Nile rivers. Sudan has a population of about 45-million and is the third-largest country in Africa by area. The economy is dominated by agriculture, livestock and oil production, though oil revenues declined sharply after South Sudan's independence in 2011 took most of the oilfields. The currency is the Sudanese pound. Sudan is a republic, though it has experienced prolonged periods of military rule and civil conflict. The country is a member of the African Union and the Arab League. Key agricultural regions include the states of North Kordofan, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, North Darfur and South Darfur, which are significant for crop and livestock production but have also been affected by conflict and food insecurity. Since 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, causing widespread displacement, economic collapse and acute food insecurity across much of the country. The conflict has severely disrupted farming, trade and humanitarian access, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan.
Sudan Updates
650 000 refugees in South Sudan could lose food aid within weeks due to funding squeeze, say UN agencies
By: Reuters 14th August 2026 More than 650 000 refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan risk losing food aid access within weeks due to a severe funding shortfall,... →
Will Kenya investigate and prosecute Sudan’s RSF?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 12th August 2026 Prosecuting Rapid Support Forces members in Kenya won’t be easy, but will ultimately depend more on politics than on law or capacity. In June, two... →
How Sudan’s war is destroying its development future
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 11th August 2026 Modelling shows that the civil war is pushing an already fragile development trajectory towards systemic collapse. Over 150 000 people have been... →
Boeings identified in Reuters report carried weapons for Sudanese paramilitary, UN experts find
By: Reuters 29th July 2026 United Nations experts have found that Boeing 727s linked by Reuters to a US military contractor's business network transported mercenaries,... →
South Sudan’s first elections won’t be perfect – but another delay could be even riskier
27th July 2026 South Sudan is expected to hold an election on 22 December 2026, the first in the country’s history. It’s already been postponed twice, in 2022 and... →
Fragmented security allows terrorists’ cross-mobility across Lake Chad and Sahel
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 27th July 2026 As Islamic State affiliates extend their reach, states must find ways to share intelligence and cooperate, despite political fractures. Islamic... →
Africa facing $10-$20bn economic hit from 'super' El Niño, AfDB climate chief warns
By: Reuters 27th July 2026 An impending "super" El Niño is likely to inflict a combined $10-billion to $20-billion hit on affected African countries and trigger mass... →
Women in Sudan's al-Obeid face drone attacks and rape when fetching water, UN says
By: Reuters 24th July 2026 Women and girls in Sudan's al-Obeid face a dire choice between the threat of drone attacks during the day and sexual violence at night when they go... →
Daily Podcast – July 23, 2026
By: Halima Frost 23rd July 2026 Making headlines: DA lays Public Protector complaint against McKenzie over R110m fund; BLSA warns of ‘reform drift’ as index points to loss of... →
International Criminal Court drops case against Darfur militia leader
By: Reuters 23rd July 2026 Judges at the International Criminal Court terminated proceedings against the former leader of an armed group in Darfur on Thursday after... →
