UNION, August 28 (IPS) – The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which is the result of a civil war that started last year, continues to escalate as hunger and displacement affect people, according to the Secretary-General’s spokesperson. of the United Nations, Stéphane Dujarric, during a press conference on August 21.
The civil war broke out in April 2023 when the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces began a fierce battle in the capital Khartoum. According to the reports of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 18,800 civilians died and more than 33,000 were injured in this incident.
Additionally, Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at OCHA, said in a press conference on August 6 that the increasing siege and conflict between the two groups has resulted in many women and girls being raped.
Food insecurity is currently the most pressing issue facing Sudan. Stephen Omollo, the Assistant Executive Director of Field Operations and Management of the World Food Program (WFP), emphasized that “there is hunger in the Zamzam camp near El Fasher in North Darfur and that other areas of Darfur and other areas are in serious danger, in addition. half of the country’s population is facing problems of hunger” .
Currently, WFP and the International Organization for Migration are in the process of providing food to areas most affected by famine, such as West Darfur, where 13,000 people are at risk of starvation. Wosornu added that the 26 million people facing severe hunger in Sudan are three times the population of New York City.
A spokesman for the United Kingdom’s UN Representative added that about 100 Sudanese people will die of starvation every day until the conflict is resolved.
Additionally, due to the intense armed conflict in the capital Khartoum and Darfur region, many communities have been displaced. The conflict in Sudan is considered the world’s largest conflict, with an estimated 10.7 million people displaced from other parts of Sudan and many fleeing to neighboring countries, according to OCHA.
“Since the start of the round of conflicts in Sudan, more than 780,000 men, women and children have crossed the border to the town of Renk,” said Dujarric.
In addition, more than 5 million children have been internally displaced and 19 million children have no access to education due to the closure of 90 percent of schools. This makes Sudan one of the worst educational crises in the world.
For humanitarian aid to be used effectively, it is essential that the conflict stops as quickly as possible. Constant sieges and wars prevent the aid community in Sudan and the United Nations from providing life-saving assistance.
Aid trucks have been severely blocked in Sudan. Sudanese authorities have banned the use of the Adre crossing, which is the most efficient route for delivering aid. In addition, many aid workers have been attacked, kidnapped and tortured.
Wosornu says “the conflict must stop to allow for the rapid delivery of humanitarian aid across the country. The warring parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. What is also needed is rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Sudan by all possible means and more. resources, including flexible funds”. He added that if these conditions were not met, the current situation in Sudan would have worsened.
Dujarric added that “peacekeepers have established a temporary base in the area (Renk, Sudan) and are helping to ensure the safe delivery of aid, providing protection to prevent violence between different communities who are forced to live together in crowded conditions and share scarce resources”.
Currently, the Sudanese authorities deny that there is a serious famine and that there is no humanitarian aid blockade. The Sudanese delegate said that the conditions in the Zamzam displacement camp do not meet the criteria for declaring a famine. In addition, they stated that there are no deaths due to starvation. They also emphasized that the aid is not blocked by the government of Sudan, rather, the fault lies with the Rapid Support Forces.
The UN and WFP are currently negotiating with the Sudanese authorities about the increase in aid trucks and the increased use of the Adre Passage, which makes important distribution points more accessible. It is important that aid is provided regularly as there are 12 areas facing significant levels of hunger.
In addition, the UN predicts that approximately 2.7 billion dollars will be needed for the Sudan Humanitarian Appeal. As of press date the program is only 32 percent funded, and $874 has been raised for the effort. It is important for donors to contribute financially as Sudan is currently on the brink of collapse, with the world’s biggest problems of migration, hunger, education and violence.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
