The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Friday that it has received distressing accounts of people succumbing to starvation in Sudan, as intense conflict hinders the distribution of vital aid to those most in need.
Leni Kinzli, the spokesperson for the UN agency in Sudan, conveyed alarming statistics, stating that currently, 18 million people are grappling with acute food insecurity, marking a two-fold increase from the previous year. The situation is anticipated to worsen from May onward during the lean season, exacerbating food scarcity.
While reports of people dying from starvation have surfaced, Kinzli emphasized the need for further verification of these accounts. She warned that millions of individuals are on the brink of descending into catastrophic levels of hunger, akin to famine.
Addressing the dire circumstances, Kinzli urged the conflicting parties to facilitate “unimpeded, unobstructed, safe access” for humanitarian agencies to reach those in need. The ongoing conflict is creating a grim humanitarian crisis, with approximately 3.6 million children under the age of 5 experiencing acute malnutrition. However, due to restricted access to the most affected areas, the exact number of hungry children remains challenging to ascertain.
The UN World Food Programme’s plea sheds light on the urgent need for international intervention to address the escalating hunger crisis in Sudan and ensure that aid reaches the vulnerable populations affected by the conflict.
