Two years of relentless conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have left a trail of devastation across the country, crippling essential infrastructure and creating a humanitarian catastrophe. The toll is visible in the collapsed bridges, widespread power outages, dry water stations, and hospitals stripped bare by looters.
Officials estimate that rebuilding the country could cost as much as one trillion dollars, with approximately $300 billion needed for Khartoum alone. However, with fighting still raging and frequent drone strikes targeting power stations, dams, and fuel depots, hopes for immediate reconstruction are bleak. Compounding the challenge is a significant decline in international aid, particularly from the United States, historically Sudan’s largest donor.
The conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced roughly 13 million people, according to humanitarian organizations, who now describe the situation as the world’s most dire humanitarian crisis.
Residents of Khartoum endure unbearable living conditions. Entire neighborhoods are abandoned, marked by burnt-out cars, debris, and remnants of artillery fire. Hospitals are overcrowded, electricity is nearly nonexistent, and access to clean water is limited.
“Khartoum is not habitable. The war has destroyed our life and our country and we feel homeless even though the army is back in control,” said Tariq Ahmed, 56. He had briefly returned to his plundered home before deciding it was still unsafe to stay.
One alarming consequence of the infrastructural collapse is a severe cholera outbreak. In the span of just one week, 172 people died and 2,729 cases were reported—most of them in Khartoum.
The damage extends beyond the capital to central and western regions, including Darfur, where intense fighting persists. Khartoum, previously Sudan’s hub for government services, now lies in ruins, amplifying the crisis in other parts of the country.
Estimates provided by Sudanese authorities place national reconstruction needs at $1 trillion—$300 billion for the capital and another $700 billion for the rest of the country. The United Nations is conducting its own assessments.
Energy infrastructure has been particularly hard-hit. Oil production has dropped by more than half, with output now at just 24,000 barrels per day. Sudan’s refining capacity has completely halted, following an estimated $3 billion in damage to the al-Jaili oil refinery, the country’s largest, according to Oil and Energy Minister Mohieddine Naeem.
Without a functioning refinery, Sudan is forced to export crude oil and import refined products. The conflict has also endangered vital pipeline infrastructure, disrupting South Sudan’s oil exports, which depend on Sudanese facilities.
Drone attacks have recently targeted key fuel depots and the airport in Port Sudan. Sudanese authorities have accused the United Arab Emirates of involvement, an allegation the Gulf nation has firmly denied.
“All of Khartoum’s power stations have been destroyed,” Naeem stated. The country is now relying on power imports from Egypt to supply northern regions. The national grid continues to face instability due to repeated drone strikes outside Khartoum.
In areas recaptured by the army, citizens returning to their homes encounter shocking scenes—properties stripped of copper wiring, walls and roads pockmarked by holes dug by looters in search of valuable materials. On once-bustling Nile Street, a 4-kilometre ditch lies open where copper cables used to run.
Water systems, too, have failed. Khartoum’s main water stations were dismantled early in the war. RSF fighters reportedly looted the stations and repurposed fuel oil for vehicles, according to Khartoum state spokesperson Altayeb Saadeddine.
Desperate residents now fetch drinking water from the Nile or rely on decades-old wells, increasing the risk of disease. Hospitals, ill-equipped and largely non-functional, offer little relief.
“There has been systematic sabotage by militias against hospitals, and most medical equipment has been looted and what remains has been deliberately destroyed,” said Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim. He estimated health system damages at $11 billion.
With up to three million people expected to return to Khartoum, immediate interventions are crucial to avert further health emergencies like the cholera outbreak. However, the ongoing conflict and severe budget limitations make large-scale reconstruction nearly impossible.
“What we can do … with the capacity we have on the ground, is to look at smaller-scale infrastructure rehabilitation,” said Luca Renda, the United Nations Development Programme’s resident representative. Initiatives may include solar-powered water pumps, mobile clinics, and temporary schools.
Renda noted that despite the devastation, the war presents an opportunity to decentralize essential services away from Khartoum and invest in sustainable, green energy alternatives.
