A donor conference for the war-battered Sudan that took place in Berlin on 15 April has garnered a mixed response from activists and researchers, who criticised the lack of representation from Khartoum and questioned how effective such events are in securing an end to the bloodshed. The International Sudan Conference is the third annual event of its kind to take place, and it involved ministers and representatives of 55 states, with Sudan notably missing from the proceedings. Organised by Germany, France, the UK, the US, the African Union and the European Union, the event aimed to not only raise funds but also revive efforts to kick-start the peace process.

It comes as the dire humanitarian situation continues to worsen, with 4.5 million people still displaced and 34 million requiring aid. It also comes against the backdrop of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) parliamentary group carrying out war crimes against civilians. The conference was one of several hosted over the past two years across Europe, including in London and Paris, that failed to produce diplomatic breakthroughs.

Walaa Elsadig, a Sudanese-American physician and commentator, told The New Arab that there has been limited information on whether civil society actors were invited to the Berlin conference. "In principle, civil society inclusion is important. However, the issue is not simply about inclusion, but about which voices are being represented and how they are selected.

In contexts like Sudan, there is a real risk of selectively engaging actors who align with external agendas rather than reflecting the diversity and complexity of Sudanese society," she said, adding that meaningful participation is essential. She also pressed that the conference should have had Sudanese representation to ensure that the reality on the ground is not entirely shaped by external perspectives. "Excluding Sudanese actors risks undermining both the legitimacy and the effectiveness of the conference," she added.

The remarks come as social media was flooded with activists criticising the event for not including anyone from Sudan, particularly as the war between the army and the RSF enters its fourth year this month. Video footage on social media also showed dozens of people protesting the conference for the lack of representation. The protest was organised by the Darfur Union in the UK, Association of Sudanese Abroad, and Coordination of Sudanese in Europe.

The donors pledged 1.3 billion euros for humanitarian aid, however Sudan’s ministry of foreign affairs was critical of the event. The ministry called it a "colonial tutelage approach" and said that the leaders involved should have consulted and coordinated with Khartoum. In a statement, it added that it "will not accept that countries and regional and international organisations convene to decide on its affairs and bypass the Sudanese government under the pretext of neutrality".

Sudanese journalist and researcher Mohamed Mustafa told The New Arab that it appeared that key groups were not included. "…It appears that independent civil society groups from within Sudan such as The Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), youth-led volunteer networks that have played a critical role in responding to the humanitarian crisis were not genuinely included, despite claims to the contrary". Mustafa argues that the Sudanese government should have been invited, even amid reservations about its alignment with the Sudanese Armed Forces, as he states "it remains an internationally recognised authority".

However, the inclusion of certain states has angered many activists, who state that countries who are involved in the war, cannot be part of the process in stopping it. "It is also notable that the conference sponsors Germany and the EU continue to invite regional actors accused of involvement in the war and in exacerbating the suffering of the Sudanese people, namely the UAE and Ethiopia has been widely criticized," Mustafa said. "For many Sudanese, this is seen as deeply provocative," he added.

Elsadig agreed, stating: "There are existing tensions and unresolved issues between Sudan and Ethiopia, particularly along border areas. In addition, there have been increasing concerns and reports pointing to the role of cross-border dynamics in shaping the conflict, especially along the Sudan–Ethiopia frontier". "The concern, therefore, is not about participation itself, but about whether it contributes to a balanced and trusted process—especially in a conflict where regional factors already play a significant role," she continued, noting that the conference risked becoming "performative" due to not centring Sudanese and addressing external dynamics.

The conference has continued to fuel concerns among activists, who say that such events focus on humanitarian aid rather than the drivers of the conflict. Doctors Without Borders, known by the acronym MSF, said in a statement on Friday that while the additional funding raised in the conference is wel