Summary of Needs
Widespread insecurity and conflict dynamics have significantly impacted physical access to key locations, disrupted supply chain capacities, damaged infrastructure, increased costs, and decreased the availability of commercial transportation services.
Movement restrictions, contrained humanitarian access within conflict-affected areas, complex deconfliction processes, and telecommunications outages are limiting the ability of humanitarian organizations to operate and are impeding the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations. Partners have reported the following logistics gaps and bottlenecks affecting their operations:
- Limited operational points of entry into Sudan and limitations on crossline movements,
- Limited ability to contract transportation and storage services due to the unpredictability of the security situation and rising costs,
- Limited information on the availability and capacity of logistics service providers, as well as the physical status of the road network,
- Complex and lengthy customs procedures,
- Multiple bureaucratic and administrative impediments affecting cargo movements and personnel.
With Sudan's airspace largely closed, except for Port Sudan, s and requiring prior permission for humanitarian and evacuation flights for other internal locations, the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has established regular air transport services both to and within Sudan. These services provide the humanitarian community with reliable access to key hubs, enabling the implementation of critical humanitarian programmes.
Response Strategy
The Sudan Logistics Cluster operation will continue supporting humanitarian access to hard-to-reach locations in Sudan by providing partners with logistics information management and coordination support via two coordination cells located in Port Sudan, Sudan and N’Djamena, Chad, and through regular coordination with the South Sudan Logistics Cluster operation. Relevant information will be consolidated, analyzed, and shared regarding customs processes, logistics resources, the status of entry points, road transport routes, shared storage capacities, logistics-related standard operating procedures (SOPs), and access constraints through multiple communication streams, including the Sudan Logistics Cluster webpage, Sudan and Chad Logistics Capacity Assessments (LCAs), Logistics Information Exchange (LogIE), an email mailing list, and WhatsApp groups.
The Logistics Cluster will continue to augment partners’ storage capacity through free-to-user common storage services in strategic locations (Port Sudan, Gedaref, Kassala and Kosti), and through the loan of mobile storage units (MSUs) managed by partners in locations where the Logistics Cluster is not present. Based on a partner-driven strategy and needs, the Logistics Cluster will support partners’ cargo transshipments and augment storage capacity in strategic hubs locations such as in Al Dabbah and Kosti. In addition to the current Logistics Cluster set-up in Sudan, the hubs in Al Dabbah and Kosti will support partners’ response operations in the Darfur and Kordofan regions.
Based on critical identified road transport gaps, the Logistics Cluster will support access to in-country common road transport services to critical locations in Sudan, assisting partners to reach affected populations (access and security permitting).
Additionally, to expand operational reach into hard-to-access areas, the Logistics Cluster will continue to facilitate the coordination of inter-agency crossline supply movements in collaboration with the OCHA Civil-Military Coordination Cell. The Logistics Cluster will collect and track partners’ transportation plans against actual movements and share key information to improve visibility and advocate for enhanced access to critical locations.
WFP will continue operating UNHAS to facilitate the transport of humanitarian workers and light humanitarian cargo. This includes establishing hubs near affected populations and ensuring reliable access for humanitarian personnel using a mixed fleet of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. UNHAS will operate, as required, international and domestic flights, adapting to current operational constraints. With 141 registered user organizations, UNHAS Sudan aims to transport 12,000 passengers and 36 metric tons of light humanitarian cargo in 2025.
Targeting and Prioritization
The Logistics Cluster and UNHAS’ activities are aligned with HNRP priorities, partner locations, common logistics needs, gaps, and security constraints. UNHAS flights will ensure reliable access to hubs and remote field sites and maintain close communication with authorities in support of access negotiations. It will collaborate with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), and work with key stakeholders to facilitate the safe and gradual resumption of flights to the most hard-to-reach areas as soon as possible.
Cost of Response
The Logistics Cluster seeks $$3.6 million and UNHAS seeks $79.9 million, with a total of $83.54 million in financial requirements for 2025. The Logistics Cluster will prioritize coordination and information management activities, alongside the provision of various common logistics services. UNHAS operational costs will depend on aircraft deployment timing and insurance premiums to include war-risk coverage, with 42 per cent estimated to cover aircraft insurance premiums.