Sudan Faces $130 Billion Challenge to Rebuild Khartoum
Khartoum’s reconstruction is emerging as one of the world’s most daunting post-war recovery challenges, with estimates suggesting it could cost Sudan up to $130 billion—nearly three times the country’s pre-war GDP. As many as 2 million displaced residents are expected to return by the end of the year, only to find looted homes, collapsed infrastructure, and an aid system stretched to the breaking point.
The Sudanese army, locked in a brutal conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), insists it will rebuild the capital even as fighting continues. The war, now widely described as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, has killed more than 150,000 people, displaced nearly 14 million, and pushed vast swathes of the population to the brink of famine.
A City in Ruins
Khartoum’s destruction is visible everywhere. The national museum has been ransacked, the egg-shaped Corinthia Hotel, an iconic symbol of modern Sudan, has been repeatedly hit, while Ottoman-era palaces, mosques, and historic bridges lie in ruins. Despite army-backed cleanup operations, stray dogs feed on decomposing bodies, fueling outbreaks of cholera and dengue fever among returning communities.
Although the army says it has restored about one-third of the city’s water supply, it is still insufficient for the massive influx of returnees. In September, RSF drones targeted key facilities including power substations and an oil refinery near the capital, undermining fragile recovery efforts.
The Price of Recovery
Reconstruction needs dwarf the country’s resources. Sudan’s oil infrastructure alone, vital to its economy, will require an estimated $20 billion to repair. Rebuilding Khartoum’s international airport, destroyed in the early months of fighting, could add another $3 billion.
A preliminary assessment shared with Western diplomats suggests the total nationwide reconstruction bill could reach $130 billion, though there is little clarity on where Sudan might find such funds. Over the past two years, international emergency aid has fallen far short of targets, raising doubts about donor appetite for long-term investment.
Russia, China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Iran have all signed preliminary agreements to take part in rebuilding efforts. Yet diplomats caution that these pledges will only materialize once a durable peace settlement is reached.
Humanitarian Crisis Overshadows Reconstruction
Aid officials warn that focusing on reconstruction risks ignoring Sudan’s immediate humanitarian catastrophe. The World Food Programme (WFP) currently has resources to assist just 4 million people per month, barely one-sixth of the population in need.
Meanwhile, more than 800 community kitchens once funded by the United States have shut down, victims of aid cuts introduced under the Trump administration. Their closure has left millions more vulnerable to hunger, raising fears that famine could claim more lives before reconstruction even begins.
David Miliband, President of the International Rescue Committee, described the situation after a September visit: “The task ahead is enormous. Many people are choosing to leave Khartoum for a second time because the conditions are unbearable. There is a huge sense that the country has shattered, and it has not yet started to heal.”
Small Steps Forward
Despite the devastation, signs of tentative recovery are emerging. Government offices overseeing immigration, civil aviation, electricity, and water have begun reopening. Police stations are functioning again, and army and civilian teams are clearing streets of unexploded ordnance, debris, and bodies.
Yet the road ahead remains long. For millions of Sudanese, the more pressing question is not how to rebuild Khartoum’s bridges or hotels, but how to survive the coming months without food, water, and medical care.
