Sudan: 25.6m people faces worse level of severe hunger – Report

By Blessing Chinagorom

A new report has showed that the hunger crisis in Sudan is historically dire, with indications that famine may already be underway.

This is a man-made crisis, directly caused by the 14 months of conflict of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) making the country to face the worst levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded in the history.

The International experts (IPC) in the country reported that over half the population (25.6M people) face crisis or worse conditions from June to September 2024, coinciding with the lean season.

755,000 people are on the brink of starvation while the data from the report suggests the world is facing a crisis that is comparable to and potentially worse than the famine in Ethiopia that shocked the world’s conscience in the early 1980s.

8.5M people (18 percent of the population) face emergency and there is a risk of famine in 14 areas, affecting residents, IDPs and refugees, in Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, Al Jazirah states and some hotspots in Khartoum if the conflict escalates further.

The report stated further that the situation is especially critical for populations trapped in areas affected by direct conflict, insecurity and lack of protection, particularly in Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazirah states. 
At least 534,000 IDPs and refugees in conflict-affected localities and states for which data were available (representing around 20 percent of displaced population in Sudan) will likely face critical or catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity. 

In her reaction, the United States Agency for International Development USAID Administrator, Samantha Power said despite both conflict parties’ deliberate denial of life-saving assistance to the Sudanese people.

“USAID partners continue to provide food, malnutrition screening and treatment for young children, emergency health care, and other critical humanitarian assistance to people in need throughout the country.

“We are working with our partners to reach the most vulnerable, in spite of the obstructions, and we are prepared to surge assistance to hard-to-reach areas as brave humanitarian workers gain access.
“The United States has provided more than $1.4 billion in humanitarian assistance to support the people of Sudan since October 2022. But getting aid flowing on the scale necessary to meet these historic levels of need will require increased.

“And sustained cross-border assistance, as well as greater cross-line assistance to move food, medical supplies, and other life-saving commodities between SAF and RSF territory”, the USAID administrator added.

She said further that The SAF and RSF must negotiate an immediate ceasefire to facilitate predictable and sustained humanitarian access to all Sudanese and remain at the negotiating table to end this conflict.

“The United States continues to stand with the people of Sudan suffering as a result of this conflict and will do all that we can to get life-saving aid where it is needed most”, the USAID Boss, Samantha Power concluded.