ICAI welcomes early action on Sudan recommendations and calls for continued momentum amid FCDO changes

21 Jul 2026

The government has taken positive early steps to improve UK aid to Sudan and now must remain focused on maintaining momentum, the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) reports today.

ICAI’s Sudan review, published in October 2025, assessed the UK’s diplomatic, development and humanitarian support to Sudan and people affected by the ongoing conflict in neighbouring countries.

It found that while the UK has demonstrated strong leadership on the crisis, doubling annual spending to £231.3 million in 2024-25 for Sudan and neighbouring countries, there were opportunities to improve the delivery of aid and coordinate the response more effectively across government.

The aid watchdog made seven recommendations, all of which the government accepted in its response, published in December 2025.

Six months on from the report’s publication, ICAI wrote to the government to follow up on progress implementing the recommendations. The government provided us with an update which we have published along with our assessment of this statement and supporting evidence.

ICAI welcomes early progress against all recommendations, including an increase in high-level political attention to Sudan, staffing and the predictability of funding for the Sudan response.

ICAI also notes commitments made to improve work with local partners and additional programmes targeted at helping women and girls, as well as expanded work on the protection of civilians and strengthened cross-government working.

However, a key test will be whether the government’s actions will be sustained and deliver improved results over time.

ICAI will complete a more detailed assessment of the impact of steps taken by the UK government in April 2027.

ICAI Commissioner Liz Ditchburn, who led the review, said:

“It is good to see the positive and early action taken by the UK government to strengthen the UK’s support to Sudan with progress made against all our recommendations.

“It is critical now that this momentum continues and actions are sustained against the backdrop of significant change at the FCDO. Next year we will return and look in more detail at the evidence of impact of these actions for people affected by this terrible conflict.”

You can read the government’s progress update and ICAI’s assessment of progress online.