NEW YORK – Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem called for increased international funding to support the return and reintegration of displaced people, saying nearly five million Sudanese have returned to their areas and require assistance proportionate to the scale of the movement.
Salem made the appeal during a high-level meeting in New York organized by the United Nations and the African Union on durable solutions to displacement.
He said the Sudanese government had established a National Higher Committee for Voluntary Return and Reintegration to facilitate the return of citizens and restore basic services in areas where people are resettling.
The minister called for international assistance to move beyond emergency humanitarian relief toward a broader approach focused on development, reconstruction and reintegration.
He said sustainable returns require the restoration of essential services and conditions that allow families to remain in their communities after going back.
Salem also urged international organizations to support Sudanese state institutions and expand partnerships that he said had already contributed to return and reintegration efforts.
His remarks come as international discussions increasingly focus on how to move from emergency humanitarian assistance toward longer-term solutions for millions of Sudanese displaced by the war.
During his visit to New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Salem also held talks with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
The discussions covered efforts to secure a ceasefire, protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access, as well as arrangements for reopening the African Union liaison office in Khartoum.
Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has displaced millions of people and caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and public services.
Although growing numbers of displaced Sudanese have begun returning to their areas, many face damaged housing, limited health and education services, disrupted livelihoods and shortages of basic infrastructure.
Salem said the scale of international financial support should reflect the number of people returning and the cost of rebuilding conditions necessary for their long-term reintegration.
The meeting took place amid wider diplomatic activity over Sudan during the U.N. General Assembly, including discussions on ceasefire proposals, humanitarian access and prospects for a political settlement.
