Rhino: Follow-up – The Sudanese Relief and Humanitarian Operations Agency’s semi-annual report confirmed that more than 21.27 million beneficiaries received humanitarian aid through a unified national system for access and coordination during the period from January 1 to June 30, 2026.
The agency added in a statement that the report serves as an evidence-based tool to support humanitarian decision-making and guide dialogue with government and humanitarian partners and donors on expanding coverage, enhancing access flexibility, and improving the quality of coordination and data.
The statement read: (Behind these figures lies an integrated operational system; during the reporting period, the agency’s systems recorded 6,313 access records through entry permits, movement permits, and cargo transport services, including 1,224 entry permit requests, 3,946 movement permit requests, and 1,143 movements for the transport of humanitarian cargo and supplies. This coordination enabled the delivery of 65,070 metric tons of humanitarian supplies to an estimated 21.27 million beneficiaries, with the participation of 170 organizations—including UN agencies, international and national organizations, and other humanitarian entities. Such a scale of coordination would not have been possible without a single national platform managing access, rather than dozens of disparate frameworks.)
The report showed that the approval rate for entry permits reached 99.1%, confirming that the main challenge lies in the humanitarian system’s ability to expand coverage, diversify access routes, and ensure the continuity of humanitarian movement. The report also indicated that 89.4% of entry permits were processed through the Adre crossing, making the flexibility of corridors and the diversification of entry routes priorities for planning and coordination in the second half of this year.
The data indicate that recorded humanitarian activity remains geographically concentrated, with approximately 87 percent of activity centered in the Darfur region, while there is a clear need to expand coverage in the states of Kordofan and Blue Nile and to strengthen the response in areas where gaps exist between operational presence and the scale of need.
The report highlights the importance of rebalancing the sectoral response, particularly in the water and sanitation sector, as opposed to the current greater focus on medical supplies, food, and non-food items. The agency emphasizes that addressing this imbalance requires stronger sectoral coordination, more effective pre-positioning of supplies, and funding decisions that respond to actual gaps on the ground.
With regard to localization, the report clarifies that national organizations constitute the majority of actors, accounting for 59.4% of registered organizations, while their share of recorded operational activity does not exceed 11.4%. The Sudanese agency emphasizes that the true measure of localization is the actual ability to access and utilize logistical services, participate in the implementation of the response, and obtain adequate funding and institutional support.
The report also noted the importance of continuing humanitarian advocacy regarding the situation of Sudanese refugees in South Sudan, particularly in Upper Nile State and the border areas associated with the Blue Nile, White Nile, and Central regions. The agency emphasizes that this approach aims to exchange information, support partners’ efforts, and facilitate humanitarian dialogue, without duplicating existing coordination mechanisms.
The Executive Director of the Sudanese agency, Mr. Abdulrahman Ahmed Ismail, emphasized that “these figures prove that the unified national platform model works.” He explained, “The challenge before us now is to expand this model to reach regions and sectors that are still lagging behind, foremost among them the states of Kordofan and Blue Nile, as well as the water and environmental sanitation sectors.”
The Sudanese agency called on the government, United Nations agencies, international organizations, and donors to build on the report’s findings as a basis for dialogue and joint action; to direct flexible funding toward underserved sectors and regions; to support the diversification of delivery channels; and to strengthen the capacities of national partners, and to adopt the report as a reference for joint planning.
