Sudan: ‘Grim prediction’ now ‘harsh reality’ as hunger engulfs over 20 million
Dire predictions about escalating hunger in Sudan have tragically come true, as conflict-induced food scarcity has plunged 20.3 million people into severe acute hunger, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
Of that figure, 6.3 million people – 13 per cent of Sudan’s population – are experiencing emergency levels of hunger – classified as Phase 4 of the Integrated Food Security Classification – just one step from famine, with the conflict continuing to disrupt access to humanitarian aid and forcing millions to flee their homes.
Despite the immense difficulties, WFP had a major breakthrough last week, successfully delivering food assistance to West Darfur State, which has been heavily affected by the conflict.
A convoy of five trucks transporting 125 tons of food commodities travelled from eastern Chad to West Darfur, where WFP delivered one month’s worth of food assistance to around 15,400 people, Mr. Rowe(Country Director for Sudan) said.
Mr. Rowe went on to note that the situation is “catastrophic” in West and Central Darfur.“Our teams passed through towns and villages that are abandoned following a mass exodus of people. Health facilities, banks and other critical infrastructure are destroyed,” he said, adding that those who remain are mostly women and their children who are acutely vulnerable and have not fled because they are too scared. Their husbands have been killed, injured, or have gone missing.“These families are barely surviving. Most are only eating just one meal a day, sharing what food they have with neighbours and selling what they own simply to afford food,” the WFP official said.
UN News
