Origin and Development
The Humanitarian Aid Commission has a major role to play through its powers in formulating humanitarian aid plans and policies in coordination with the relevant authorities, organizing regional and international humanitarian support, supervising the work of voluntary organizations and international bodies, and its primary role in registering international and regional voluntary, non-governmental, and semi-governmental associations and organizations that donate or implement any humanitarian work programs and movement, and establishing and spreading the concept and values of voluntary and humanitarian work in the country .
The development of social, economic and political life in the world and Sudan, and with the development of society itself and the development of the concept of voluntary, charitable and humanitarian work from spontaneity and randomness to organization and law, associations and organizations were formed in various fields, education, health, water services, and human rights organizations, environmental protection, and consumer protection. As a result, it was necessary for the law to develop and for administration in voluntary entities to develop, and for governmental administration of voluntary and humanitarian work to develop .
The management of voluntary and humanitarian work in Sudan began with entities, associations and links, and this work was organized by the laws of the Relief and Reconstruction Commission and the Humanitarian Aid Commission, in a sequence of titles, administrative affiliations and supervision over more than 40 years as follows :
- -The Supreme Committee for Disaster Prevention and Desertification in 1984 under the leadership of the First Deputy during the May Revolution, later amended under the leadership of the Transitional Military Council headed by Field Marshal Suwar Al-Dahab.
- -Relief Operations Coordination Unit under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in 1985.
- -Establishment of the Relief and Reconstruction Commission (RRC) under the Ministry of Relief and Displaced Persons in 1986.
- -Relief and Reconstruction Commission (RRC) under the supervision of the Ministry of Relief and Displaced Persons (1987–1989).
- -National Associations Registration Law of 1957 and the Foreign Organizations Registration Law of 1988 under the Ministry of Welfare, Zakat, and Displaced Persons (1992).
- -Voluntary Work Commission (COVA) in 1993 under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior.
- -Voluntary Work Commission (COVA) under the Miscellaneous Amendments Law of 1994 supervised by the Ministry of Social Planning.
- -Integration of the Relief and Reconstruction Commission (RRC) 1986, Voluntary Work Commission (COVA) 1994, and the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) under the Ministry of Social Planning in 1996.
- -Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) 1996 under the Ministry of International Cooperation following the dissolution of the Ministry of Social Planning in 1998.
- -Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) under the 1995 Law, supervised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in 2003.
- -Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) under the 2006 Voluntary and Humanitarian Work Organization Law, supervised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in 2006.
Due to the importance of humanitarian work and the circumstances that occur in the country from time to time and the disasters that occur (earthquakes, floods, rain, desertification, drought, tribal conflicts, wars, etc.), and as an inevitable response to the growing interest in humanitarian affairs at the local, regional and international levels, in 2003 the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs was established within the system of modern national ministries pursuant to Republican Decree No. (24) of 2002 and Republican Decree No. (34) of 2005, where its competencies were determined pursuant to Republican Decree No. (22) of 2010. The Ministry manages its activities and competencies in formulating policies for voluntary and humanitarian work and supervising national and foreign voluntary organizations, international organizations and donors. It also seeks to achieve voluntary return and secure aid and deliver it to beneficiaries. It also works to clear the corridors of mines resulting from conflicts and wars. To achieve comprehensive development and prepare the appropriate infrastructure, the ministry formed the ministry, which included four units: (Humanitarian Aid Commission, National Mine Action Center, National Center for Displaced Persons and Returnees, and Sudanese Red Crescent ).
In 2011, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs was abolished by virtue of Republican Decree No. (39) of 2011, and the responsibility for supervising the Humanitarian Aid Commission was transferred to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Security, whereby the Humanitarian Aid Commission became a unit of the Ministry’s units, supervised directly by the Minister, with the same tasks and powers .
In 2012, pursuant to Republican Decree No. (29) of 2012, the supervision of the Humanitarian Aid Commission was cancelled, with the same tasks and competencies from the Ministry of Social Welfare and Security, and the supervision of the Commission was transferred to the Ministry of Interior to be one of its departments, supervised directly by the Minister of Interior .
In 2014, pursuant to Republican Decree No. (45) of 2013, the Humanitarian Aid Commission’s supervision was cancelled, with the same tasks and competencies, from the Ministry of Interior and it was transferred again to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Security to be one of the Ministry’s units and supervised directly by the Minister, as the Minister of State in the Ministry manages the humanitarian affairs file in the country .
In 2023, and in accordance with Resolution No. (31) of 2023 issued by the Transitional Council of Ministers, supervision of the Humanitarian Aid Commission was transferred from the Ministry of Social Development to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers to be directly under the supervision of the Prime Minister .
In 2023 AD, and in accordance with the decision issued by the Transitional Council of Ministers No. (364) of 2023 AD, the State Commission was annexed to the Federal Commission to supervise it administratively and technically and to be sub-commissions of the Federal Commission .
Sudan faces great challenges in the field of humanitarian and voluntary work due to its large area, its geographical location in the heart of the African continent, and its close connection with the Arab world. All of these characteristics have their effects known since ancient times. Natural disasters, tribal conflicts, and civil wars have a great impact on the humanitarian situation in the country. This is in addition to the developments that have occurred at the local, regional, and global levels in the political, economic, social, and cultural fields, which have had a direct impact on voluntary and humanitarian work, and consequently on the policies of voluntary and humanitarian work .
Vision
A humanitarian work led by the community to achieve the pride and dignity of the Sudanese nation, security and development .
Mission
Managing voluntary and humanitarian work, consolidating the values and culture of volunteering, contributing to the reconstruction of areas affected by disasters (natural and man-made), and working with our partners to achieve humanitarian goals .
Values
- •Responsibility
- •Institutionality
- •Dignity
- •Justice
- •Transparency
- •Accountability
Goals of Humanitarian Work
The main humanitarian objectives of organizations registered under the provisions of the Voluntary and Humanitarian Work Regulation Law of 2006 and its regulations include, but are not limited to, providing the following services (including human rights and environmental protection services) :
- Emergency relief for citizens affected by natural or unnatural disasters, focusing on the most affected groups.
- Disaster risk reduction, mitigation, and management.
- Linking relief aid with resettlement, reconstruction, and development.
- Focusing on internally displaced persons, refugees, and returnees through the preparation and implementation of relief, reconstruction, and resettlement programs in coordination with relevant authorities.
- Reconstruction of economic and social infrastructures destroyed by war or natural disasters in coordination with national institutions established for this purpose.
- Determining priorities for relief, resettlement, and reconstruction through consultation and coordination with beneficiaries and relevant government authorities.
- Building local capacities to enable national organizations to rely on their resources.
- Implementing relief and humanitarian services projects through voluntary non-governmental organizations, charitable organizations, or civil society organizations whose objectives align with public policies and beneficiaries' interests.
Duties of the Commission
- Raising awareness and establishing a correct understanding of voluntary and humanitarian work in coordination with other parties.
- Training on disaster management at all levels in coordination with other parties.
- Mobilizing resources and preparing comprehensive lists of capabilities in case of disasters and the need to use those resources.
- Initiating projects and identifying humanitarian aid needs aimed at mitigating the effects of natural and unnatural disasters in coordination with relevant authorities.
- Working to provide strategic emergency stock to meet essential needs.
- Coordinating with external parties in cases of disasters and facilitating their entry to carry out their work.
- Mobilizing internal and external efforts and coordinating with relevant authorities in rebuilding affected areas and resettling displaced persons.
- Monitoring and evaluating all voluntary and humanitarian work programs in Sudan.
Commissioners Who Served
Commissioners who succeeded one another and took over humanitarian and voluntary work during the period 1986-2024 AD
Mr. Mohamed Kamel Shawky
RRC
1986 AD-1988 AD
Mr. Dr. Hajj Al-Tayeb Al-Tahir
RRC
1988 AD-1990 AD
Mr. Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Aghibash
RRC
1988 AD-1990 AD
Mr. Dr. Ibrahim Abu Auf
RRC
1990 AD-1992 AD
Mr. Dr. Awad Khalifa Musa
RRC
1992 AD-1993 AD
Mr. Dr. Abdul Rahman Ahmed Abu Dom
COVA
1993 AD-1995 AD
Mr. Ambassador Anayat Abdel Hamid
HAC
1995 AD-1996 AD
Mr. Dr. Fath Al-Rahman Al-Qadi
HAC
1996 AD-1997 AD
Mr. Dr. Salaf Al-Din Saleh
HAC
1999 AD-2004 AD
Mr. Hassib Mohammed Abdul Rahman
HAC
2004 AD-2010 AD
Dr. Suleiman Abdulrahman Suleiman
HAC
2011 AD-2014 AD
Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Adam
HAC
2015 AD-2019 AD
HAC
2019 AD-2019 AD
HAC
2020 AD-2020 AD
HAC
2021 AD-2021 AD
Mr. Najmuddin Musa Abdul Karim
HAC
2021 AD-2023 AD
Dr. Salah Mubarak Youssef
HAC
2023 AD-2024 AD
Mrs. Salwa Adam Benya
HAC
2024 AD-Present
Unified Procedures Complex
Reasons for establishing the Unified Procedures Complex
The outbreak of the crisis in the states of Darfur in 2003 and the need to deliver humanitarian aid and field teams to visit and survey more quickly necessitated the presence of relevant departments within the Humanitarian Aid Commission. Before the existence of the complex, requests, for example, customs exemptions, were approved for the year’s lists and the organization submitted the request, which was reviewed and addressed to the General Administration of Customs. A representative from customs was brought in to complete the procedure within the complex, and so on for entry visas and movement permits. In other words, the procedure is now done within the commission and is completed, and the organization or party requesting the service does not need to go to another institution, and thus the time was shortened to the maximum extent possible.
The Unified Procedures Complex is directly subordinate to the Commissioner-General and carries out the above tasks in coordination with the parties concerned with the work of the United Nations organizations and agencies. The work of the Complex focuses on the following:
- Review of organizations' projects
- Entry visas
- Residencies
- Work permits
- Previews
- Travel permits for the states
- Coordination with state offices
- Customs exemptions
- Supervising the annual evaluation of the organizations' performance
This is based on the guidelines of humanitarian volunteer work and the procedures manual. We include under each of the above tasks the coordination of all services related to the organizations’ projects from the beginning of the project until the project’s liquidation.
Departments attached to the complex
- Inspection and audit
- information
- passports
- Traffic Department
- Ministry of Labor
- Ministry of Health