The United Nations (UN) announced on Friday that it had received only 12% of the estimated $2.7 billion needed to provide aid to Sudan, indicating that the country is on the brink of famine.
Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), described the funding shortfall as “catastrophic” during a press briefing.
Laerke stressed the urgency of the situation, stating, “Without rapid access to additional resources, humanitarian organizations will not be able to scale up their efforts in time to avert a famine.”
He called on donors to fulfil their pledges, intensify their efforts, and help change the dire trajectory leading Sudan to the “edge of the abyss.”
This warning coincides with concerns raised by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, about escalating violence in Al-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
Türk expressed “alarm” over the increasing violence near the city and mentioned discussions held this week with leaders from both sides of the conflict. He warned of a humanitarian disaster if the city were attacked.
Türk cautioned the leaders that fighting in Al-Fasher would have a “catastrophic impact on civilians” and would exacerbate the situation. With the conflict worsening, humanitarian conditions in the city, which is home to over 1.5 million residents and displaced people, are deteriorating amidst severe shortages of food and healthcare services.
Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023 between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, tens of thousands of people have died, and millions have been displaced, underlining the critical need for international assistance.
