More than half of Sudan’s 24.6 million people are experiencing acute hunger after nearly two years of relentless conflict, the UN has said.
Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), revealed this in a press release on Wednesday.
Wosornu stated that the conflict has inflicted immense suffering, turning parts of Sudan into a hellscape. She added that more than 12 million people have been displaced, including 3.4 million who have fled across Sudan’s borders.
In addition, millions of traumatized children have been cut off from formal education, while sexual violence continues relentlessly.
Wosornu highlighted the latest alarming developments in North Darfur, including the Zamzam displacement camp, as well as in Khartoum and the south of the country. She noted that eight months after the Security Council adopted Resolution 2736, civilians in North Darfur remain under attack.
“Violence in and around the Zamzam displacement camp – estimated to be hosting hundreds of thousands of civilians and where famine conditions have been confirmed – has further intensified,” she pointed out.
On Monday, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the main provider of health and nutrition services in Zamzam, announced it was halting operations in the camp due to the deteriorating security situation.
The World Food Program has also confirmed the suspension of voucher-based food assistance in the camp, citing the security situation and the destruction of the market.
Wosornu expressed deep concern about the serious risks faced by local responders and community volunteers in Khartoum and elsewhere.
She welcomed the decision by the Sudanese authorities to extend the authorization for the use of the Adre crossing for humanitarian movements. She also noted that humanitarian partners have continued their efforts to increase support via crossline routes.
Last year, approximately 15.6 million people received some form of humanitarian support across the country.
Wosornu urged the Security Council – and all member states with influence – to take immediate action to ensure all actors comply with international humanitarian law and protect civilians, as well as the infrastructure and services they rely on.