The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a $62.13 million emergency grant to support the Sudan Integrated Social Sector Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (SISSIRP). This vital support aims to restore essential health, education, and water services that have been severely disrupted by the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, which erupted in 2023.

The funding package, approved on 11 July 2025, comprises $44.57 million from Pillar 1 of the Transition Support Facility and $17.56 million from the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional financing window for low-income countries.

Sudan is currently facing one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises. An estimated 30.6 million people are in urgent need of assistance, including 11.5 million internally displaced persons, 54% of whom are women. The conflict has devastated critical infrastructure and services across the country, leaving healthcare facilities, schools, and water systems destroyed. This breakdown has deepened poverty, widened inequalities, and significantly limited access to basic services, particularly in conflict-affected areas.

Commenting on the project, Mary Monyau, the Bank’s Country Manager for Sudan, highlighted the initiative’s importance: “This project is a crucial step towards rebuilding lives and livelihoods. By restoring access to clean water, healthcare, and essential infrastructure, we are not only addressing immediate humanitarian needs but also laying the foundation for long-term resilience and development.”

The two-year project (2025-2027) will focus on four Sudanese states-- Aj Jazira, River Nile, Sennar, and White Nile – and is designed to improve the resilience and well-being of the population by rehabilitating and strengthening social sector services. The SISSIRP is structured around three core components:

1. Strengthening Social Infrastructure and Systems: Rehabilitation of key education, health, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) facilities to ensure continued access to safe drinking water and essential public services.
2. Capacity Development and Community Engagement: Strengthening the capacities of individuals, institutions, and communities to manage and sustain the delivery of social services and infrastructure.
3. Governance and Implementation Support: Ensuring transparent, accountable, and effective project implementation with robust monitoring and mechanisms to guarantee equitable access for targeted beneficiaries.

The initiative aligns with the Bank’s extended Country Brief for Sudan. It also supports the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033) and contributes directly to one of its key "High 5" priorities, “Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.” It further aligns with sub-themes including access to basic drinking water services, coverage of essential health services, and youth inclusion in employment, education, and training.