UNITED NATIONS, Aug 28 (IPS) – The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan following a civil war that began last year continues to worsen as people continue to suffer from hunger and displacement, UN Secretary-General’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a news conference on Aug. 21.
The civil war broke out in April 2023, when the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces began fierce armed clashes in the capital Khartoum. According to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 18,800 civilians were killed and more than 33,000 injured in the crossfire.
Also, Edem Warsornu, OCHA’s head of operations and advocacy, said in a press conference on August 6 that many women and girls have been raped as a result of the prolonged siege and conflict between the two parties.
Food insecurity is the most urgent problem facing Sudan today. “There is famine in Zamzam camp near El Fasher in North Darfur, and other areas in Darfur and elsewhere are at risk, with more than half the country’s population facing crisis levels of hunger,” said Stephen Omollo, WFP’s deputy executive director for operations and management.
WFP and the International Organization for Migration are currently in the process of providing food to the areas most affected by the famine, such as West Darfur, where 13,000 people are at risk of starvation. Wosornoo added that 26 million people in Sudan are suffering from severe hunger, three times the population of New York City.
A spokesman for Britain’s UN mission added that about 100 Sudanese people will starve to death every day until the conflict is resolved.
In addition, many communities have been forced to flee due to the intense armed conflict in the capital Khartoum and the Darfur region. The Sudanese conflict is considered the world’s largest displacement crisis, with up to 10.7 million people displaced to other parts of Sudan, according to OCHA, and many more fleeing to neighboring countries.
“Since the start of hostilities in Sudan, more than 780,000 men, women and children have crossed the border into Lenk town,” Dujarric said.
In addition, more than 5 million children have been internally displaced and 19 million children are unable to access education as a result of 90% of schools being closed, making Sudan one of the world’s worst education crises.
To effectively utilize humanitarian assistance, it is essential that the conflict ends as soon as possible. The constant siege and fighting has left the humanitarian community and the United Nations in Sudan unable to provide life-saving assistance.
In Sudan, aid trucks were severely hampered. Sudanese authorities prevented the use of the Adre crossing, the most effective route for delivering aid. In addition, many humanitarian workers were attacked, kidnapped, and harassed.
“The conflict must cease to allow rapid delivery of humanitarian assistance across the country,” said Worsornu. “The warring parties must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. We also need more resources, including flexible funding and rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access through all possible channels across Sudan.” She added that if these conditions were met, the current situation in Sudan would be much less dire.
“Peacekeepers are setting up temporary bases in the Lenk area, helping to provide protection to curb violence and ensure the safe delivery of aid as diverse communities are forced to live together in crowded conditions and share dwindling resources,” Dujarric added.
The Sudanese authorities are currently denying that there is a serious famine crisis and that there is no obstruction of humanitarian assistance. The Sudanese representative said that the conditions in the Zamzam IDP camp do not meet the criteria for declaring a famine. They also said that there have been no deaths due to famine. They reiterated that the Sudanese government is not obstructing assistance and that the Rapid Support Forces are at fault.
The UN and WFP are currently negotiating with the Sudanese authorities to increase the number of aid trucks and to use the Adre corridor, which would provide much easier access to key distribution points. With 12 areas facing severe levels of famine, it is essential that aid continues to be delivered.
The UN also estimates that the Sudan humanitarian appeal will require about $2.7 billion. As of the date of publication, the plan is only 32% funded, with a total of $874 million raised for the effort. Sudan is currently on the verge of collapse and is facing one of the world’s greatest crises in terms of migration, hunger, education and violence, so it is important that donors contribute financially.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal Source: Inter Press Service
