The World Food Programme is urgently requesting access to provide aid in Sudan, as there are reports of people suffering from starvation.
The World Food Programme reported the circumstances as critical, emphasizing that nearly 18 million individuals throughout the nation are currently experiencing severe food insecurity.
Approximately five million people are currently facing extreme levels of hunger caused by ongoing conflict in regions such as Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan.
There are challenges that prevent aid from being delivered successfully.
Barriers to providing assistance
According to Eddie Rowe, the WFP’s Representative and Country Director for Sudan, the current state of affairs in the country is extremely dire.
“WFP has food in Sudan, but lack of humanitarian access and other unnecessary hurdles are slowing operations and preventing us from getting vital aid to the people who most urgently need our support.”
Since April of last year, the Sudanese Army and their rival military, the Rapid Security Forces (RSF), have been engaged in conflict. The World Food Programme (WFP) is urging both sides to provide immediate security assurances in order to reach millions of people in need.
Starvation reports
The United Nations organization has issued multiple alerts about a potential crisis of starvation in Sudan, a country where it has provided aid to over 6.5 million individuals since the start of the conflict.
“According to Mr. Rowe, crucial aid is not reaching the most vulnerable individuals and there have been reports of deaths from starvation.”
The World Food Program can only provide food assistance to 10% of those suffering from extreme hunger in areas of conflict, such as Khartoum, Darfur, Kordofan, and the newest addition Gezira.
According to the agency, due to security threats, enforced roadblocks, and demands for fees and taxation, it is becoming increasingly difficult for humanitarian convoys to cross frontlines in order to reach these areas.
A school and a location for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in West Darfur, which were aided by Save the Children, were demolished on April 27th and 28th, 2023, as a result of the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
“Expand your perspective beyond the confines of the battlefield.”
The WFP is seeking assurances of safety in order to continue their work in Gezira state, a crucial location for humanitarian aid that served over 800,000 individuals monthly.
In December, conflict caused 500,000 individuals to evacuate, including many who had already been displaced. Unfortunately, only 40,000 individuals have been given assistance thus far due to 70 trucks from WFP being stranded in Port Sudan for over two weeks.
31 additional trucks intended for delivering aid to the Kordofans, Kosti and Wad Madani have been unable to depart from El Obeid for more than three months.
Mr. Rowe stated that both sides involved in the violent conflict need to focus on more than just fighting and instead allow humanitarian organizations to function.
We require unrestricted freedom of movement, even across areas of conflict, in order to aid those in dire need, regardless of their location.
Humanitarians response plans
The United Nations is persistently urging for the cessation of the conflict in Sudan, which has resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 individuals. A staggering eight million people have been forced to leave their homes, with more than 1.5 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) declared on Friday that it will initiate two strategies in the upcoming week to address the requirements in Sudan and provide aid to Sudanese refugees in neighboring nations.
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for OCHA, informed reporters in Geneva that a total of 25 million individuals require urgent aid.
The leader of the United Nations refugee agency in Sudan.
During a recent visit to the area, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has been raising awareness about the plight of those impacted by the conflict.
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, arrived in Sudan on Thursday to draw attention to the dire situation faced by millions of displaced Sudanese civilians and refugees who are caught in a brutal, escalating war that is largely overlooked by the international community.
Mr. Grandi shared his thoughts on his discussions with displaced individuals in Port Sudan on the social media platform X.
He recounted the devastating impact of war on their once peaceful existence and expressed that hope is dwindling for both themselves and their children. He emphasized the necessity of a ceasefire and productive peace negotiations to bring an end to this tragic situation.
Support Sudanese refugees
After a three-day trip to Ethiopia, he traveled to Sudan and emphasized the need for immediate and increased aid for over 100,000 Sudanese refugees who have sought shelter in the country since the start of the war in April.
Ethiopia is one of six countries neighbouring Sudan that continue to receive thousands fleeing the fighting.
Mr. Grandi is the leader of UNHCR, the United Nations agency for refugees. UNHCR is assisting the Ethiopian Government and other regional and local authorities in ensuring protection and essential services for the recently arrived individuals.
Source: news.un.org
