On Friday 20 June 2025, the Sudanese-Australian Advocacy Network (SAAN) participated in Refugee Week 2025 – Sudan: The Forgotten Crisis – A Call for Awareness & Action, held at Auburn Community Centre in Sydney.
Hosted by the Sudanese Australian Health and Wellbeing Association (SAHWA), in partnership with the Sydney Peace Foundation and the African Australian Advocacy Centre (AAAC), the event brought together refugee advocates, health professionals, and community leaders for a powerful evening of remembrance, testimony, and collective action.
Representing SAAN, Abdullah F. Ali delivered a keynote address and joined a panel discussion focused on the ongoing war in Sudan and Australia’s humanitarian responsibilities. He outlined SAAN’s swift response following the outbreak of conflict on 15 April 2023, including providing real-time briefings to Australian authorities, advocating for Sudanese-Australians stranded overseas, and successfully lobbying for Sudan’s inclusion in DFAT’s crisis registration portal. SAAN also pushed for visa reforms to support family reunification and urged the government to increase the intake of Sudanese refugees—especially women and children—and improve processing and support for protection and temporary visa holders.
“SAAN mobilised nationally,” Abdullah told attendees. “We met with senators and MPs—including through a Parliament House roundtable—and held decision-makers accountable through Senate Estimates hearings. We ensured Sudanese voices weren’t lost in bureaucracy.”
These efforts contributed to a significant milestone: the Australian Government’s commitment of $50 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan. Yet, Abdullah stressed that this is not just about funding: “This is about dignity. Sudanese lives matter. The war must stop. The silence must end. And justice must prevail.”
Later that evening, Abdullah joined a panel moderated by Abulla Agwa, alongside Dr. Ahlam Wagealla (SAHWA), Dr. Ekhlas Nasser, Mr. Noel Zihabamwe (AAAC), and Patricia Garcia AO. He addressed questions on the impact of the war on Sudanese-Australians, SAAN’s continued policy engagement, and the urgent need for stronger media attention and coordinated humanitarian response. He also responded to audience concerns about refugee protection, the trauma of displacement, and the dangers of international silence.
SAAN closed its participation by renewing four urgent calls to the Australian Government and international partners: increase humanitarian aid and ensure equitable delivery; lead diplomatically in securing a ceasefire and sustainable peace; publicly condemn atrocities and support accountability efforts; and strengthen refugee protections and resettlement pathways for Sudanese people in Australia