This month’s update features the latest news from our work with partners on our emergency response campaigns for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and our campaigns for Sudan and the Sahel.

ISRAEL AND THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

Advocating for Renewed Ceasefire and Sustainable Resolution to the Crisis

In the midst of increasingly complex and challenging environment, Crisis Action worked with partners on three key priorities seeking the protection of civilians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: influencing the European Union to use its economic leverage over Israel; maintaining pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to halt the dismantling of aid infrastructure serving Gaza’s civilians; and guiding the CeasefireNOW campaign to refine its strategy through a series of workshops.

The CeasefireNOW campaign—a diverse group of humanitarian and human rights organisations working together to influence policy and mobilize public support to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a sustainable resolution to the crisis—has repeatedly demonstrated impressive solidarity among NGOs from across the world.

During its recent strategy workshops, some 77 representatives of partners and civil society allies aligned on a strategy that includes pressuring the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire, pushing France and the UK to signal consequences for Israel’s failure to uphold the ceasefire, protecting humanitarian aid architecture, and advocating for actions that end the illegal occupation of Palestine as part of a broader, long-term political solution.

The CeasefireNOW campaign has continued to harness the expertise of its member organisations publishing ”humanitarian snapshots” that provide crucial insights into Gaza’s aid situation, which have been closely read by key governments and officials across the globe. In November, the campaign produced a “scorecard” assessing how well Israel had upheld its humanitarian obligations. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland waved a hard copy of the scorecard during his floor speech in the Senate attacking the Biden administration to failing to uphold humanitarian law in Gaza.

Crisis Action has supported partners’ advocacy efforts around the attacks on the healthcare system in Gaza. In January, Crisis Action supported a delegation of American, who across high-level meetings and media engagements at the UN called for the urgent evacuation of 2,500 vulnerable children and the release of detained Palestinian healthcare professionals, among other asks. The delegation led to notable successes—the Secretary-General made a public call for the release of 2,500 children and Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, visited the family of unjustly detained Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, who was subsequently allowed a visit by his legal counsel.

LEBANON

Averting a Breakdown of the Ceasefire and Contributing to an Alternative Path to Stability and Peace

With the situation in Lebanon remaining fragile, Crisis Action conducted extensive consultations with partners and experts, particularly those with deep ties to the region, and committed to continuing its Emergency Response Campaign in Lebanon.

The current strategy focuses on three critical areas to avert a return to conflict. First, we will work to convince the international “friends of Lebanon” — including the US, France, the UK, the EU, and the UN — to increase their support for Lebanese state institutions. Strengthening these institutions is essential to restoring citizens’ trust in the government, particularly in South Lebanon, where the state’s presence has been weak, and a vital step towards the Lebanese state regaining control of the region and so a step towards averting a return to war.

Second, Crisis Action will urge major donors to channel reconstruction funds through Lebanese institutions. This would not only provide much-needed aid to the war-torn areas but also empower state institutions, reinforcing their credibility and capacity to lead the recovery process. Such an approach will help mitigate the social tensions exacerbated by the war and reduce the risk of further conflict.

Lastly, we are supporting partners to advocate for immediate reforms within the newly formed Lebanese government. By pressing for changes in the government and its ministries, Crisis Action aims to rebuild trust both domestically and internationally, laying the groundwork for sustainable peace. These reforms are crucial to breaking the cycle of violence, avoiding threats to civilians and establishing a foundation for a peaceful, prosperous Lebanon.

SYRIA

Fostering Justice and Accountability in a New Syria

In response to the rapidly unfolding events on the ground, Syrian partners called upon Crisis Action to convene them to reflect together on clear priorities on the way forward. Partners expressed a commitment to coordinating efforts to address the ongoing issues of missing and detained individuals, securing justice and accountability for perpetrators of international crimes, and advocating for immediate sanction relief, particularly on fuel, electricity, and financial transactions to impact society and the economy.

A subsequent convening focused on criminal justice and accountability and produced a roadmap for local criminal justice mechanism to prosecute those responsible for international crimes in Syria.

Crisis Action also worked to amplify the voices of Syrian civil society in policy discussions. In advance of a key EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Crisis Action organized a briefing for policymakers, offering consistent, clear, and concrete recommendations on the lifting of sectoral sanctions. This effort contributed to the EU foreign ministers agreeing on a roadmap to ease sanctions on Syria on January 27th, though the possibility of renewal in May 2025 remained a concern.

We’re now committed to supporting partners in the coming three months to spur agreements on new pathways to justice and accountability and ensure that the international community’s approach, particularly from the UNSC, EU and key member states, reflects the recommendations of Syrian civil society. Crisis Action is actively working with key stakeholders to ensure the new Syria resolution aligns with the priorities of Syrian partners, further strengthening the pressure on EU governments and the European Commission.

SUDAN

Amplifying Global Pressure to Address the Sudan War

The focus of our collective effort on Sudan is working with partners to advocate for concrete protection measures for the Sudanese people at the UN and AU while also coordinating efforts to amplify global public pressure to address ongoing mass atrocities and famine, increase humanitarian aid, and expose the malign influence of external actors who are fueling the conflict, with a particular focus on the United Arab Emirates’ ongoing support for the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In past months, Crisis Action has supported efforts to bring Sudanese and INGO partners before diplomats from Mozambique, the UK, and the AU. To complement this, we have coordinated high-profile op-eds–including by former UN peacekeeping force commander Roméo Dallaire and his colleague Shelly Whitman in Foreign Policy and by former President Joyce Banda of Malawi in The East African—in calling for a physical protection presence in Sudan.

At the same time, we have worked with partners to increase pressure on external actors, particularly the United Arab Emirates, which continues to support the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). We supported an array of partners such as Refugees International and Transparency International in launching a multi-pronged communications campaign targeting the UAE’s involvement in the Sudan war, which included grassroots campaigns and op-eds to expose the UAE’s role in fueling atrocities. We have elevated the work of a Sudanese influencer in the diaspora (@yourbaya) to lead a grassroot #HandsOffSudan campaign, which sought to increase public discourse and criticism on social media of the UAE’s role in fueling atrocities in Sudan.

 

Looking ahead, Crisis Action will continue to build on public pressure, leveraging social media influencers and collective campaigns around key moments such as the war’s two-year anniversary. Efforts will also focus on deepening engagement within the AU and African markets, including commissioning documentaries to enhance advocacy.

SAHEL

Making Strides toward ‘Autonomisation’ in The Sahel

In December, Crisis Action took a significant step towards the “autonomisation” of the People’s Coalition by convening a crucial meeting with the five-member Bureau in Abidjan to officially transfer much of the coalition’s daily operations and the management of its coordinator. Since the beginning of the year, Crisis Action has strategically stepped back, empowering the Coalition to operate independently under the Coordinator’s leadership.

The coalition recently finalized its third Milestone Report, which highlights a significant increase in violence and political instability, particularly with the rise of military juntas and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Civilian casualties have nearly doubled compared to the previous year, with both extremist groups and defense forces contributing to the crisis. The humanitarian situation is deteriorating, with millions displaced and in need of aid. The report stresses the importance of shifting focus to civilian protection, dialogue, and accountability as crucial steps in addressing the root causes of the ongoing crisis. In response, the Coalition has prioritized national-level advocacy, starting with meetings in Mali and workshops with municipal authorities.

Despite these efforts, the psychological toll of authoritarian regimes on human rights defenders in the Sahel has led the People’s Coalition to withhold the public release of the third report. Instead, key findings and recommendations will be shared privately through tailored one-pagers to engage decision-makers.

Civil society activities have also been heavily scrutinized, with a pilot project of the Human Dignity Campaign being halted by the Malian Ministry of Defense. In response to these challenges, the Coalition has introduced a Security Focal Point to provide monthly security assessments, which has helped members navigate the risks involved and continue their advocacy work. Moving forward, Crisis Action will continue supporting the Coalition’s transition and is conducting an evaluation of its five-year investment in the Sahel, aiming to gather lessons and insights with partners and stakeholders.

THE DRC

Responding to a New Crisis in the DRC

Within 26 hours of the escalating violence in the DRC, Crisis Action swiftly convened a diverse group of nearly 100 partners and civil society allies from the DRC, regional, and global organizations, spanning humanitarian, human rights, peacebuilding, and women’s rights sectors. Real-time updates were shared, including reports that Goma had fallen during the call. Following this meeting, Crisis Action assisted partner Atrocities Watch Africa in drafting an urgent statement highlighting key issues raised and circulated it to global political leaders, including members of the African Union Peace and Security Council, the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which holds the DRC portfolio at the UN Security Council.

Our collective efforts also included reaching out to South African diplomats, urging them to engage with Rwanda, which proved a successful. Building on this momentum, we worked with partners to mobilize umbrella organizations from Southern and East Africa, representing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC), to issue a joint statement to leaders ahead of an meeting of these regional groups. A key member of the EAC Peace and Security Council confirmed the statement was under deliberation in the ministerial meeting preceding the Heads of State gathering.

Crisis Action further amplified pressure by organizing a press briefing for partners with over 50 journalists, leading to significant media coverage, including a full-page publication in The Tanzania Times. Crisis Action also supported Human Rights Watch in securing 75 signatories for a public letter urging the UN Human Rights Council to investigate rights violations. This led to the adoption of a resolution establishing a fact-finding mission and commission of inquiry, which HRW described as an important step toward achieving justice. The collaborative efforts were appreciated by partners, including Lebo Mabotho, CEO of the Southern African Council of NGOs, who expressed gratitude for Crisis Action’s facilitation in bringing together the joint initiative.

We have worked with partners to fill a critical coordination gap, providing leadership and catalytic support where needed while also facilitating outreach and dissemination for partners. The creation of a WhatsApp group with 79 global partners allowed for active information sharing and amplifying efforts across the board.

As tensions remain high in the Great Lakes Region, and diplomatic activity has yet to yield significant progress, Crisis Action is working closely with partners to identify new campaign strategies to address the challenging and volatile situation in the region.