As Sudan’s brutal conflict entered its second-year last week, concerns over starvation deaths persist.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) revealed on Sunday that 90% of those facing severe hunger in Sudan are confined to conflict zones.
The program urgently called for consistent, unobstructed access to all needy individuals in Sudan.
It reported reaching 40,000 people in North Darfur with food aid, labeling it a significant accomplishment.
This announcement follows warnings from Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, during an international conference in Paris on Sudan. McCain cautioned that the ongoing food crisis could be unprecedented.
McCain described Sudan’s situation as nearly catastrophic, emphasizing widespread hunger. She stressed that even if a famine were declared, it would be too late.
The United Nations estimates that about five million people in Sudan are at risk of severe food shortages in the coming months, the highest level according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
UN officials believe the crisis in Sudan could be the worst food crisis ever recorded.
In just one year, Sudan’s conflict has caused thousands of deaths and pushed its population of 48 million to the brink of famine. The already fragile infrastructure has been further devastated, displacing over 8.5 million people.
However, only 5% of the planned humanitarian response funding for Sudan has been secured.
Last week, an international conference on Sudan was convened in Paris to mark the war’s first anniversary.
The meeting, led by France, Germany, and the European Union, garnered over $840 million in pledges. Paris contributed $110 million, Berlin $244 million, Brussels $350 million, and Washington $138 million.
