Sudan: Millions face acute hunger as conflict, economic woes worsens

February 18, 2024 – A staggering 17.7 million people in Sudan or nearly 40% of the population in Sudan are facing severe hunger, latest figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) indicate.

The current situation, OCHA said, has been worsened by the ongoing conflict, economic decline, and limited access to humanitarian aid in the country.

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis shows a significant rise in acute food insecurity, with 4.9 million people classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), facing severe food shortages and requiring urgent assistance.

An additional 12.8 million, OCHA said, are classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3), struggling to meet basic food needs.

“Devastating conflict and organized violence have pushed millions to the brink of starvation,” noted an OCHA spokesperson adding “Access to essential food and aid remains a major challenge, with only one in ten people in emergency hunger zones receiving assistance due to fighting and security constraints.”

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has issued an urgent call for unfettered humanitarian access to reach those most in need, particularly in conflict-ridden areas like Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan states of Sudan.

On the other hand, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned of a potential catastrophe if immediate action is not taken, highlighting the risk of certain regions slipping into “catastrophic hunger” by the lean season next year.

“The international community must act swiftly and decisively to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan,” said a FAO representative, adding “Scaling up humanitarian assistance, ensuring safe access to affected populations, and finding peaceful solutions to the conflict are crucial to prevent further suffering.”

As of January 12, an estimated 13,000 people had reportedly been killed since conflict broke out between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in mid-April last year.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), however, an estimated 33,000 were injured in the ongoing conflict in Sudan as of December 8, 2023.

More than 6 million people have been internally displaced due to the conflict in Sudan, more than 560,000 have fled to South Sudan and over 550,000 to Chad.

(ST)