Sudan: Urgent Support to Communities ‘Still on the Margins’ Remains Critical as Access Shifts in South Kordofan

As fighting continues to shift across South Kordofan following recent developments in the conflict, humanitarian needs in Kadugli, Dilling, and surrounding areas remain severe.

While changes in control may ease isolation for some communities, years of siege, displacement, and restricted access have left families deeply vulnerable. Mercy Corps is calling for urgent, sustained international support and renewed attention to ensure that people emerging from prolonged isolation are not left behind at this critical moment. 

Mercy Corps Country Director for Sudan, Miji Park, says: 

“Communities in and around Kadugli have endured prolonged isolation and a near-total cut-off from essential services. For many families, this has meant going days unsure where their next meal will come from, treating illness without medicine, and making impossible choices about what to go without. Clinics lack basic supplies, food is scarce, and the simple act of meeting daily needs has become a constant struggle. 

“These communities have survived years of hardship and cannot afford to be forgotten. There is still a critical window to reach people who have been living on the margins of survival. We urge the international community not to wait for perfect conditions to act. Increased, flexible funding is urgently needed now—to sustain critical programs and ensure that when access improves, the response can scale quickly and effectively. 

“Mercy Corps has continued to deliver life-saving assistance in South Kordofan throughout this period, despite limited access and stretched resources. Our teams remain committed to reaching those most in need and standing with communities who have shown extraordinary resilience in the face of unimaginable pressure.” 

Mercy Corps has worked in Sudan since 2004. Through our ongoing response across 18 states, we are working to meet urgent needs and support the community’s recovery. Our teams are providing cash and voucher assistance to displaced families, helping farmers increase food production, and supporting local markets to keep essential goods moving. We are also partnering with local responders through the Cash Consortium of Sudan to deliver lifesaving aid and strengthen community resilience in the face of one of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies.  

  
For more information or media enquiries, please contact:  

Grace Wairima Ndungu, Senior Africa Media & Communications Manager, in Nairobi, at gndungu@mercycorps.org  

Natalie Fath, Director of Communications (based on the East Coast, U.S.), at nfath@mercycorps.org  

Our full media team is reachable at allmediarelations@mercycorps.org