Without more US attention, humanitarian crises in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and Syria could create destabilizing knock-on effects that could derail US foreign policy.

The world is rightfully seized with alleviating suffering in Gaza—where famine conditions have recently been confirmed—and ending a devastating conflict that has displaced more than 1.9 million and left 1.7 million children needing humanitarian assistance. The crisis in Gaza is deadly, but it is also one of many. Other catastrophes across the world are killing thousands and generating threats that undermine US interests.

From our own Hemisphere to the Middle East, several other conflicts are either in full swing, such as Sudan, or in a post-war yet still highly volatile stage, like Syria. As in Gaza, suffering is surging among the most vulnerable in these places—and American interests are at risk.

President Trump has made it clear that the United States will prioritize America’s interests when determining whether and how to engage abroad. This is a sensible position. Resources are finite, and not all crises are created equal. Yet there are three more specific cases where more international attention as well as US involvement are warranted—not only since saving lives is the right thing to do, but also because such destabilizing crises enable threats like diseases, migration, and terrorism that do not respect borders and could, if neglected, harm American citizens and interests.

Since Sudan’s civil war began nearly three years ago, more than 150,000 people have died. The fighting has displaced more than 11 million Sudanese, with 3.9 million crossing into neighboring countries. Conflict-forced migration into neighboring South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Chad is stressing these countries’ resources and risks exacerbating conflict across the region. Much of Sudan has been experiencing famine for over a year. Children are perhaps suffering the most—more than 15 million need humanitarian assistance, and 3.2 million under the age of 5 are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition within the next 12 months.

With health infrastructure decimated, infectious diseases that were once contained—cholera, measles, dengue fever, and malaria—are proliferating. Since January alone, Sudan has seen 32,070 suspected Cholera cases and 742 associated deaths. Extremist organizations are exploiting the instability, with the US State Department reporting that terrorist organizations continue to operate within Sudan.

Without a concerted effort to resolve the conflict, address starvation, and mitigate health risks, the United States and its European allies risk facing conflict across the Horn of Africa, more infectious disease spread, and a further acceleration in already historic migration rates.

Our hemisphere is not immune to crisis. In Haiti, since the country’s president was assassinated in 2021, armed groups have violently clashed with the interim government. The intra-state violence has spilled beyond the capital and displaced more than 1.2 million people; over half are children. 2.85 million Haitian children face acute food insecurity. Disease outbreaks are also on the rise, evidenced by 1,298 suspected cases of cholera in the first 3 months of 2025. A combination of these variables of suffering has accelerated the rate at which children are being recruited into armed groups, a 70 percent surge in 2024.

International strategies to resolve the conflict have failed. Absent efforts to resolve or at least stabilize the conflict, the spread of infectious disease, increased migration drivers, and the operations of dangerous armed groups in our hemisphere will continue.

Finally, consider Syria, where the nation’s civil war is seemingly over and new leadership is trying to rebuild infrastructure, but conflict and instability remain—7.4 million internally displaced Syrians still need humanitarian assistance, with over 400,000 children at significant risk for severe acute malnutrition. Violence in the southern Suweida governorate has displaced nearly 192,000 people since the beginning of the clashes this summer. So far, five attacks on healthcare facilities have killed a medical volunteer and endangered civilians and healthcare providers. The need for basic supplies, including food, hygiene items, clothing, and more, remains high across the country.

Syria’s civil war is over, but peace is not certain. Prolonged hunger will fuel the resurgence of extremists like ISIS and other militia groups in the region. Without responsive governance and a reduction in human suffering, America’s adversaries will once again exploit the vacuum.

Devoting resources to address the crises in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and Syria is in the interests of the United States because doing so mitigates threats to the American people. Since January, the United States has made initial progress in addressing these crises—from steps to create a UN Support Office in Haiti to lifting long-standing sanctions on Syria.

The White House and other countries can build on this initial solid track record. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, urgent needs in Syria are only 15.9 percent funded, the crisis in Haiti is 8 percent funded, and the dire situation in Sudan is only 21 percent funded. Ignoring these types of crises would be akin to whistling past the graveyard.

For the sake of suffering children and families, and to protect US national security, we cannot afford to ignore the very real and direct risks posed by these and other crises.