UN Reports on People Dying of Hunger in Sudan
Agencies – Sudan Events
The United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP )revealed, on Friday, that it had received reports of people dying of hunger in Sudan, as a result of the “humanitarian catastrophe” resulting from the conflict between the Sudanese army SAF and the Rapid Support Forces RSF .
The WFP said in a statement that 18 million people across Sudan are currently facing severe levels of hunger, and called on the warring parties to provide immediate guarantees to safely deliver aid to those in need, describing relief agencies’ crossing of front lines in conflict areas as “almost impossible.”
It added: “The parties to the conflict in Sudan must look beyond the battlefield and allow relief organizations to work.”
The WFP said that it had repeatedly warned of an “imminent hunger catastrophe” in Sudan, and had warned on more than one occasion of the need for people to obtain immediate aid, to prevent the crisis from turning into a disaster, but it was “shocking” that the number of hungry people exceeded double what it was previously. It was a year ago.
The statement noted that those in need are confined to conflict areas, including Khartoum, Darfur, Kordofan, and now Gezira State, and relief convoys must be allowed to cross the battle lines, which it described as “almost impossible” due to the seriousness of the security situation, roadblocks, and the imposition of fees and taxes.
The statement said: “We are currently only able to provide regular food assistance to one person in ten, who are facing severe levels of hunger due to conflict in areas such as Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan.”
“We have food in Sudan, but the inability of humanitarian organizations to reach millions of affected people, and other unnecessary obstacles, hinder our work and prevent us from delivering aid to those who most need our support,” said Eddie Roux, World Food Program WFP country director and representative in Sudan.
