UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations has declared the humanitarian situation in Sudan an “absolute catastrophe.” The dire conditions have led to famine in the Zamzam camp for displaced persons near El-Fasher, North Darfur, with a child dying every two hours from malnutrition. This tragic scenario likely extends to other displacement camps in the region.
Edem Wosornu, the director of operations and advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, conveyed the severity of the situation to the UN Security Council. She emphasized the crisis as a “man-made” disaster resulting from the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has resulted in over 19,000 deaths and displaced millions.
More than 26 million people in Sudan are facing acute hunger, a figure Wosornu compared to three times the population of New York City. The obstruction of humanitarian aid by both warring factions has exacerbated the crisis.
James Kariuki, the UK’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, accused the Sudanese Armed Forces of blocking aid routes, particularly the Adre crossing from Chad, while the RSF’s attacks in Darfur have further spread starvation.
The conflict has displaced over 10 million people within Sudan and forced more than 2 million to flee to neighboring countries, making it the largest displacement crisis globally. Recent advances by the RSF in Sennar State have displaced an additional 726,000 people.
Sudan’s healthcare system has collapsed, with two-thirds of the population unable to access medical care. Flooding from heavy rains has worsened conditions in residential areas and displacement camps, heightening the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases. The capital, Khartoum, has suffered significant destruction, with widespread reports of war crimes, including sexual violence against women and girls as young as nine.
Humanitarian aid efforts face severe obstacles. Aid workers are frequently harassed and attacked, and essential supplies are often looted or blocked. For example, the RSF has obstructed three trucks carrying aid for over a month, depriving malnourished children in Zamzam camp of critical resources.
Wosornu called for an immediate ceasefire to allow safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. She stressed the need for all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and hold violators accountable. She also highlighted the urgent need for increased funding to sustain aid operations, warning that without adequate resources, the humanitarian response could come to a standstill.
The catastrophic situation in Sudan demands urgent and coordinated international action. The ongoing conflict has created a humanitarian disaster of unprecedented scale, necessitating immediate measures to provide relief and pave the way for a sustainable resolution.
