• Sudan's government officially returns to Khartoum after nearly three years in Port Sudan.
• Prime Minister Kamil Idris promises improved services for residents ravaged by war.
• The civil war has caused approximately 12 million people to be displaced within and outside Sudan.

The Sudanese government has announced its return to the capital, Khartoum, after nearly three years of operating from its wartime base in Port Sudan. Prime Minister Kamil Idris declared, "Today, we return, and the Government of Hope returns to the national capital," indicating plans to enhance living conditions for the city's residents, which have suffered immensely due to the ongoing conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following the war's outbreak in April 2023, according to Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

The war, primarily between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, led to severe devastation in Khartoum, resulting in numerous casualties and extensive displacement. Estimates suggest that nearly 12 million individuals have been displaced, exacerbating what the United Nations has classified as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The government claims it has initiated reconstruction plans, focusing on restoring essential services such as healthcare, sanitation, and education, amidst reports that many neighborhoods are in ruins and basic services are "barely functioning," according to Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

Idris noted that the government’s focus would be on providing "better healthcare and the reconstruction of hospitals," acknowledging the need for substantial investment in infrastructure, which is estimated to cost around $350 million to restore necessary services to Khartoum. Tens of thousands of lives have been lost due to the conflict, yet the complete toll remains unknown since many families have resorted to using makeshift graves for burial, according to Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

In recent months, the government reported relative calm in Khartoum and has been conducting cabinet meetings there, indicating a gradual normalization of governance amidst ongoing military operations against RSF in other regions like Darfur and Kordofan. However, clashes continue to be reported across the nation, emphasizing the challenges still faced by the government as it aims to restore order and stability, according to Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, and BBC.