Liberals sending $120M in taxpayer funds to Sudan
The funding package includes roughly $94 million earmarked for humanitarian assistance in 2026.
Author: Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
Canada pledged more than $120 million in new taxpayer-funded aid to Sudan on Wednesday, as the federal government joined other nations at a high-level conference in Berlin.
The announcement, delivered by Liberal Secretary of State for International Trade Randeep Sarai at the International Sudan Conference, comes as the civil war in Sudan enters its third year, with conditions continuing to deteriorate across the region.
According to Global Affairs Canada, taxpayer funds are needed because the conflict has triggered mass displacement.
The funding package includes roughly $94 million earmarked for humanitarian assistance in 2026, with funds to be distributed through international partners operating in Sudan and neighbouring countries such as South Sudan and Chad.
An additional $25 million will go toward development projects, including $18 million allocated to Save the Children Canada to support education programs for tens of thousands of children. Another $7 million will be directed to the United Nations Population Fund to expand services addressing sexual and gender-based violence.
The federal government is also committing $1.25 million toward peace and stabilization efforts, including civilian-led initiatives in conflict-affected regions.
While Ottawa framed the funding as part of its broader humanitarian commitments, the latest pledge adds to Canada’s growing list of international aid expenditures at a time when questions persist about government spending priorities.
Canada has been a significant contributor to global aid efforts in recent years, even as domestic pressures, including housing affordability and rising living costs, continue to strain federal finances.
Officials say the funding aligns with Canada’s international obligations and long-standing foreign policy goals, including its Africa Strategy, which emphasizes promoting stability and responding to humanitarian emergencies.