11-04-2025 | di COOPI

Protecting the right to water for Sudan's displaced

Wadi Halfa and Ad Dabah, located in Sudan’s Northern State near the Egyptian border, have become critical transit points for those fleeing the ongoing conflict since April 2023. The two localities are now hosting over 170,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom have limited access to humanitarian aid. Access to safe drinking water is a major concern, with most water sources being open and contaminated, putting individuals at risk of waterborne diseases. In response to this urgent need, COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale, with the “Lifesaving Integrated WASH Response to Sudan Crisis in Northern State” project funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) through OCHA and in partnership with the United Peace Organization (UPO), has provided daily water trucking services to over 10,000 people. In order to ensure a more sustainable access, COOPI also rehabilitated two water stations, improving water quality and quantity for over 5,000 families, while promoting peaceful coexistence between IDPs and host communities.

Many IDPs have arrived in this area to flee from Khartoum and seek asylum in Egypt, often in desperate conditions and traumatized by the hardships and dangers of their journey. This sudden influx has intensified social tensions and fostered increased discrimination between the IDPs and the host communities. In response to these challenges, adopting a conflict-sensitive approach, the two rehabilitated water stations serve both IDP gathering sites and host community areas, promoting peaceful coexistence and the shared use of resources between the two communities. Additionally, COOPI trained and equipped two Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Community-Based Committees, consisting of 13 members selected from both IDP and host communities. These committees, trained by COOPI’s WASH technical staff and in collaboration with the Water and Environmental Sanitation Corporation (WES), are responsible for the daily monitoring of the water stations, ensuring their proper functioning, testing water quality and reporting any issues to COOPI staff.

Access to safe and sufficient water is a human right and with the support of SHF, COOPI is working alongside these communities to protect that right, ensuring that even the most vulnerable populations in Sudan have access to this essential resource.

Since April 2024, COOPI has been supporting the most vulnerable populations in Northern State through a comprehensive WASH response, ensuring access to safe water, sanitation facilities and improved hygiene conditions. Additionally, it launched a rapid emergency response, delivering critical humanitarian assistance, including non-food items (NFIs), Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) support and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities. In 2024, COOPI expanded its operations to both Northern State and River Nile, where it has been implementing WASH, emergency shelter and NFI interventions to address the needs of affected communities.