The humanitarian situation in Sudan’s Al-Jazirah State, about 200km south of Khartoum, remains dire, the UN says.
The UN Deputy Spokesman, Farhan Haq, expressed the concern in the briefing for the Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday.
“The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that the humanitarian situation remains dire in Al-Jazirah State – which is about 200km south of Khartoum,” Haq said in the sentiments circulated online.
He, however, noted that the World Food Program was on Monday able to reach Wad Medani, the capital of Al-Jazirah State, with its first delivery of assistance in over a year.
“Eleven trucks arrived with 260 metric tonnes of food and nutrition supplies – enough for more than 20,000 people,” Haq said.
The Deputy Spokesman disclosed that the UN humanitarian partners were also planning to carry out a needs assessment to inform broader response efforts in the city.
“They tell us that people in Wad Medani are grappling with shortages of food, water and health services, as well as severe malnutrition.
Immediate access to clean water remains critical, as most water stations are not functioning, forcing people to rely on unsafe water sources and raising health risks.
Wad Medani is among 17 areas at risk of famine in Sudan, according to the Integrated Food Security Phaser Classification (IPC).
OCHA once again called for additional resources for the response and stressed the need for civilians to be protected, amid reports of shootings, movement restrictions, and gender-based violence in the area.