From: jameskerlindsay
The disparity in global attention toward various conflicts is a frequently observed phenomenon in international relations [00:53:07]. Some conflicts garner widespread international attention, while others remain largely overlooked [00:47:33].
Factors Influencing Attention
Several factors determine whether a conflict receives significant global focus:
- Geopolitical Significance A situation might gain attention if it touches on geopolitical factors or directly involves a great power or its close allies [00:58:19].
- Economic Impact Conflicts that have economic effects, such as disrupting trade routes or access to vital resources, tend to attract more attention [01:07:22].
- Risk of Expansion A conflict may also receive focus if it threatens to escalate regionally or internationally [01:14:14].
- Media and Policy Priorities Media and policy priorities play a crucial role [01:21:04]. Wars in remote or less strategically significant areas often receive less attention, even if their impact is more catastrophic [01:25:27].
The Case of Sudan: A “Forgotten War”
While international attention is heavily concentrated on conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, fears are escalating regarding the deteriorating situation in Sudan [00:00:00]. Despite a fierce civil war that dramatically escalated over the past year, leading to Sudan becoming the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, it is frequently referred to as a “forgotten war” [00:09:47], [00:15:02], [00:25:22].
Initial Media Coverage and Decline
The outbreak of the civil war in Sudan initially received significant media coverage [01:57:38], particularly due to the large number of foreigners caught in the escalating situation [09:01:00]. This necessitated urgent evacuation efforts by numerous countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and India [09:09:20].
Broader political and strategic factors also contributed to this initial attention:
- Sudan’s strategic location on the Red Sea, a vital waterway [09:27:07].
- Its traditional role as a conduit between North and Sub-Saharan Africa [09:34:00].
- The links between the warring factions and global powers (Russia and the West) added an international policy and media dimension [09:39:13].
However, once foreign nationals were evacuated, news coverage of the conflict quickly dwindled [10:02:18], [10:06:05]. Policy attention shifted, especially following the surge in Middle East violence in October 2023 [10:11:15].
Worsening Crisis Amid Lack of Attention
Despite the reduced international focus, the situation on the ground in Sudan has continued to worsen [10:23:08]. The fighting has spread beyond the capital [10:30:00], and calls for a ceasefire during Ramadan have been unheeded [10:40:02]. The conflict has also become a proxy war involving the Russian Wagner Group supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Ukrainian commandos supporting the Sudanese Army [10:59:32].
The broader humanitarian effects are a major concern:
- At least 14,000 people have been killed, and tens of thousands wounded [11:13:30].
- Sudan now has the highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) globally, estimated at 6.3 million [11:26:00].
- An additional 1.7 million people have become refugees in neighboring states [11:38:00].
- Severe food shortages have left the country on the brink of starvation, with an estimated 25 million people (half the population) requiring life-saving assistance, including 14 million children [11:45:00].
- Attacks on Red Sea shipping by Houthi forces have severely limited food imports to Port Sudan [12:20:00].
- The wider region has also faced lingering food shortages from recent severe famines [12:35:00].
- There are growing fears about horrific acts of violence in Darfur [12:53:00].
Despite the UN calling for $4.1 billion US to address the crisis, it has been “extraordinarily difficult” to get the international community to focus on Sudan [13:06:00]. This highlights a tragic reality where major unfolding disasters in Africa receive limited attention when global focus remains on other conflicts [13:21:00].