As Sudan faces the looming threat of famine following nearly a year of conflict, the United Nations has issued a fervent plea to the country’s warring factions for unrestricted access to deliver urgently needed aid.
The ongoing war between army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has exacted a heavy toll, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, widespread infrastructure damage, and a crippled economy. This dire situation has precipitated a humanitarian crisis of alarming proportions, marked by acute food shortages that push the country perilously close to famine.
Jill Lawler, the emergency chief in Sudan for the UN children’s agency UNICEF, underscored the critical importance of unimpeded humanitarian access during a press briefing conducted via video link from New York. Lawler emphasized the challenge of delivering aid to affected populations, particularly in light of extensive infrastructure damage.
Describing her recent mission to Khartoum state, Lawler provided firsthand accounts of the dire conditions faced by children across Sudan. She stressed the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian access both within Sudan and across its borders with neighboring countries.
The escalating conflict is exacerbating Sudan’s famine risk, with hunger emerging as the primary concern among the affected population. Lawler warned of catastrophic loss of lives unless there is a concerted effort to address the crisis with sufficient political will, attention, and resources.
The UN World Food Programme has sounded the alarm, cautioning that the conflict could precipitate the world’s largest hunger crisis. Additionally, the UN has called for increased financial support for aid operations in Sudan, noting that only a fraction of the required funds have been received thus far.
