Action Against Hunger has reported that over 3.4 million people in Chad urgently require humanitarian aid due to a significant influx of refugees escaping conflict in Sudan and a lack of funding.
According to the non-governmental organization, 3.4 million individuals are currently experiencing critical food insecurity in Chad.
The eastern regions of Chad, which host refugees, are particularly vulnerable due to limited access to essential services, with the refugee influx exacerbating the situation.
Chad, one of the world’s poorest nations, accommodates approximately 1.4 million internally displaced persons and refugees resulting from internal conflicts and those in neighboring countries.
Before the Sudanese civil war erupted in mid-April 2023, Chad hosted over 400,000 refugees who fled the Darfur conflict between 2003 and 2020. The current number of Sudanese refugees stands at 900,000, with 88% being women and children.
Action Against Hunger warned of an anticipated increase in severe acute malnutrition cases, projected to reach 480,000 children between October 2023 and September 2024, marking a 15% rise.
In November 2023, Médecins Sans Frontières expressed concern over the acute malnutrition rate among Sudanese refugee children, exceeding the emergency threshold set by the World Health Organization.
Henry Noël Tatangang, director of Action Against Hunger in Chad, stressed the urgency of securing sustainable funding for humanitarian response efforts, as only 4.5% of the required budget has been raised.
The NGO fears a worsening humanitarian situation with the onset of the rainy season and lean period, which will increase needs and complicate access to vulnerable populations across the region.
In mid-February, transitional President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno declared a “food emergency” in Chad without specifying future measures or the affected populations.
The following month, the United Nations World Food Programme suspended food assistance for April due to financial constraints and appealed to donors to prevent a full-blown catastrophe.
