During a Saturday meeting with Mona Nourel Daim, chief of Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission, Fletcher emphasised the need for joint efforts to tackle Sudan's escalating crisis, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the country's official SUNA news agency.

"We will work in joint cooperation with the government of Sudan to contribute to increasing funding for the 2025 humanitarian response plan," Fletcher was quoted as saying by SUNA.

Fletcher arrived in Port Sudan on Saturday for his first humanitarian mission as the newly-appointed Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. He assumed the role on November 18.

Fletcher described his visit as an opportunity to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground and hear directly from those affected by the conflict.

Nourel Daim underscored the scale of the crisis, warning that donor contributions in 2024 have fallen short. "Funding from donors during 2024 is below ambition, despite the fact that Sudan is going through the worst humanitarian crisis," she said. She urged the international community to step up support for the 2025 response plan to implement critical projects and alleviate suffering among displaced populations.

The humanitarian response plan for 2024 was projected to require $2.7 billion, but only $1.5 billion have been secured, according to UN data.

Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since mid-April 2023. According to the November update by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, the deadly conflict has resulted in more than 27,120 deaths.

Additionally, the conflict has displaced over 14 million people, both within Sudan and across its borders, according to the latest estimates by the International Organisation for Migration.