The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached a critical point, with a $2.7 billion plan to support nearly 15 million people falling short of funding, resulting in massive shortfalls that are impacting local organizations leading the response efforts. The situation has become dire, with experts warning of famine conditions prevailing in parts of North Darfur after 15 months of war.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, emphasized the urgent need for donors to scale up financial support and push for the opening up of humanitarian access to prevent a large-scale famine from taking hold. Failure to do so could lead to an even more catastrophic situation unfolding in the country.
The crisis in Sudan has been described as a “man-made crisis” by Nkweta-Salami, who highlighted the relentless suffering of the people since the outbreak of war between rival military forces. She stressed the importance of all parties and stakeholders fulfilling their responsibilities and commitments to the populations in desperate need in order to resolve the crisis.
The famine conditions in Zamzam camp, home to 500,000 people, are expected to persist through October, with 13 other areas at risk. Sudan is facing the worst levels of food security in its history, with more than half the population, 25.6 million people, experiencing acute hunger. Over 8.5 million people are facing emergency levels of hunger, while more than 755,000 are in catastrophic conditions.
Humanitarian operations have been ramped up in recent months to address the immense needs on the ground, but funding and safe access remain critical challenges. Nkweta-Salami emphasized the need for the guns to be silenced to enable humanitarians to reach those in need and called for urgent funding and safe humanitarian access across borders and battle lines.
In addition to the humanitarian response, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has also called for increased support to Sudan and an end to the war. The confirmation of famine in North Darfur has underscored the urgency of the situation, with Mamadou, a senior UNHCR official, urging donors to step up their support to prevent further suffering in the region.
The situation in Sudan is dire, with millions of people at risk of famine and in need of urgent assistance. The international community must act quickly to provide the necessary funding and support to prevent a larger humanitarian catastrophe from unfolding. It is crucial that all parties involved work together to ensure the safety and well-being of the people of Sudan and to bring an end to the conflict that has exacerbated the crisis.
