'No time to lose' as famine threatens millions in Sudan, warn UN agencies

GENEVA

Time is "running out" for millions of people in Sudan who are at imminent risk of famine amid intense fighting, the leaders of a number of UN agencies and humanitarian organizations said on Friday.

Time is running out for millions of people in Sudan who are at imminent risk of famine, displaced from their lands, living under bombardments, and cut off from humanitarian assistance.

"With the conflict now in its second year, 18 million people are acutely hungry, including 3.6 million children who are acutely malnourished, and famine is quickly closing in on millions of people in Darfur, Kordofan, Aj Jazirah and Khartoum," the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, the highest-level humanitarian coordination forum of the UN system, said in a statement.

The committee noted that Sudan is home to "the largest number" of internally displaced people in the world at nearly 10 million. It added that a further two million people have escaped to neighboring countries.

Warning that "horrific" attacks against civilians, including sexual violence, as well as hospitals and schools are multiplying, it said that despite the "tremendous" needs, aid workers continue to face "systematic obstructions and deliberate denials of access" by parties to the conflict.

"Movements across conflict lines to parts of Khartoum, Darfur, Aj Jazirah and Kordofan have been all but cut off since mid-December. The closure of the Adre border crossing in February – our main route into western Sudan from Chad – means that limited assistance is trickling into Darfur," it said. "Aid workers are being killed, injured and harassed, and humanitarian supplies are being looted."

'Extreme hunger is unfolding'

The committee stressed that the outlook for food production in 2024 is "bleak," as the window to get seeds to farmers before the main planting season ends and the rainy season begins is "rapidly shrinking."

"Extreme hunger is unfolding," it warned and added: "If we act in time, people – especially those in inaccessible areas – will be able to produce food locally and avert food shortages in the next six months."

"Without an immediate and major step change, we will face a nightmare scenario: A famine will take hold in large parts of the country," it said. "More people will flee to neighbouring countries in search of sustenance and safety. More children will succumb to disease and malnutrition."

"Women and girls, already bearing the brunt of the conflict, will face even greater suffering and dangers," it continued.

To prevent such an outcome, the committee requested the parties to the conflict to take immediate measures to protect civilians, facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access, cease all acts denying, obstructing and interfering with humanitarian action, simplify and expedite administrative and bureaucratic procedures related to the delivery of aid, de-escalate the situation in Al Fasher and adopt a nationwide cease-fire, and lastly to stop human rights violations.

It also expressed concern about the limited support from donors, as nearly five months into the year, only 16% of the $2.7 billion needed fund has been received.

Urging donors to urgently disburse pledges made in Paris and fast-track additional funding for the humanitarian appeal, it said: "With a famine on the horizon, we must deliver much more life-saving aid now, including seeds for farmers before the planting season ends."

Sudan fell into violence in April 2023 amid clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.

The conflict has killed nearly 13,900 people and displaced nearly 8.1 million others, including around 6.3 million who have been internally displaced within Sudan, according to figures released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in February.