The European Union has called on Sudan's warring parties to immediately cease attacks on educational facilities and personnel, halt the military use of schools, and grant safe, sustained and unhindered access for education and protection actors, warning that an entire generation risks being left without the skills needed to rebuild the country. In a statement delivered on 7 August 2026 at a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on safeguarding education in Sudan, the EU's delegation to the UN, speaking on behalf of the bloc and its member states, said 8 million children no longer have access to education and 17 million have had their access to learning severely disrupted. The statement, delivered by Quentin Weiler of the EU Delegation to the United Nations, noted that nearly half of Sudan's school buildings can no longer function as classrooms and that attacks on schools and protected personnel rose by 57 per cent between 2024 and 2025.
The EU's intervention comes as it positions itself as one of Sudan's largest humanitarian and development donors, with the bloc allocating EUR 276.3 million in humanitarian response in Sudan and neighbouring countries in 2026, including EUR 93.85 million targeted at safe, inclusive primary education amid the conflict. The statement stressed the importance of preserving the integrity of Sudan's nationally recognised education system, including examinations and certification, under the Transitional Education Plan 2025–2027, so that displaced and refugee children are not further disadvantaged. The EU also called on all parties to uphold the commitments of the Safe Schools Declaration, endorsed by the vast majority of EU member states, and to respect international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Security Council resolution 1998.
The statement reiterated four core asks first set out at the Ministerial conference on Sudan in Berlin in April 2026: a genuine and lasting ceasefire; rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access and the protection of civilians; a return to inclusive civilian governance; and justice, accountability and respect for the rule of law. The EU rejected any partition of Sudan and said it continues to apply targeted restrictive measures against those obstructing peace. The bloc also highlighted its diplomatic efforts since November 2025 within the framework of the Quintet to facilitate an inclusive, Sudanese-owned and civilian-led political transition, and its joining in July 2026 of the Coalition for Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan. The EU said it has been working on a technical de-escalation track dedicated to the protection of critical civilian infrastructure, with discussions with the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continuing, and is engaging with the UN in early preparations for a ceasefire verification and monitoring mechanism.
The statement's emphasis on education as a child protection, recovery and peace and security issue reflects a broader EU approach that links humanitarian aid with political engagement. The bloc's call for accountability, including through cooperation with relevant UN mechanisms, underscores its commitment to documenting and investigating violations against children and education. The EU's position, however, faces the challenge of translating these commitments into concrete change on the ground, as the conflict continues to disrupt the lives of millions of Sudanese children. The statement's focus on preserving the national education system and supporting continuity of learning through UN agencies, NGOs and local actors, including Emergency Response Rooms, indicates a strategy aimed at mitigating the long-term damage of the conflict while pursuing a political solution. The EU's engagement in the Quintet and the Coalition for Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan, alongside its technical de-escalation track, suggests a multi-pronged approach that seeks to build confidence between the parties and ultimately improve the situation for all Sudanese people. The dramatic impact of the conflict on children and education, as the statement noted, serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for the international community, in particular the Security Council, to respond with the urgency the situation demands.