Famine spreads in Sudan

Famine in Sudan has spread to five more areas of Sudan, a country devastated by twenty months of internal conflict, an international famine monitoring group warned.

Famine conditions were confirmed in Abu Shouk and al-Salam, two camps for displaced people in al-Fashir, the besieged capital of North Darfur, as well as two other areas in South Kordofan state, according to the Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification System (IPC). The Committee also found that the famine persists in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur, where it was first declared in August.

The Committee predicts that the famine will expand to five additional areas in North Darfur—Um Kadadah, Melit, al-Fashir, Tawisha and al-Lait—between December and May. Furthermore, he identified 17 other areas in Sudan at risk of famine.

More than 24.6 million people Across Sudan, more than half of the population currently suffer from high levels of acute food insecurity (phase 3 classification or higher). This includes 8.1 million in emergency conditions (phase 4) and at least 638,000 people in phase 5 (catastrophe or famine.)

These results mark an alarming escalation of hunger and malnutrition during what is typically the harvest season, when food availability should be greatest. He World Food Program (PMA) explained that the harvest is not reaching everywhere because the conflict limits markets and the circulation of goods.

Stop famine

“We have to stop the famine in Sudan; we can do it. “We need immediate and uninterrupted access to deliver food, water, provide health services and assistance in agriculture to rescue people from the cliff,” said the Emergency Director of the FAORein Paulsen, emphasizing that the Cessation of hostilities “is an essential first step.”

“A prolonged famine is gripping Sudan,” said WFP Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Jean-Martin Bauer. “People are becoming weaker and dying as they have had little or no access to food for months and months.”

The WFP tries to achieve a stable and constant flow of food aid to the places where there are the most hungry people and the most difficult to access. It has provided food to more than 800,000 people, including about 135,000 people in the Zamzam camp since September. Another WFP convoy is on its way to Zamzam camp through Chad’s Adre border crossing, with more planned.

Additionally, the agency is pushing to get aid to besieged towns in Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazeera.

“Millions of young lives hang in the balance. “Delivering therapeutic food, water and life-saving medicines can help stop the deadly malnutrition crisis in its tracks, but we need safe, sustained and unhindered access to reach the most vulnerable children and save lives,” said Lucia Elmi, Director of Emergency Operations UNICEF.

Between January and November 2024, UNICEF screened 6.7 million children under five for malnutrition and more than 415,772 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition received treatment, representing 74% of the annual target.

Twenty months of conflict

The conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, and the Sudanese Army, which broke out in April 2023, has decimated food production and trade and has displaced more than 12 million Sudanese from their homes, becoming the largest displacement crisis in the world.

Fierce fighting continues in densely populated areas, with widespread disregard for international humanitarian law by all sides.

He number of civilians killed, more than 18,000, and wounded (33,000) is overwhelmingsexual violence is widespread and essential infrastructure, including health and educational facilities, is in ruins.

Deadly diseases such as cholera are also spreading rapidly, against the backdrop of disruption of essential services such as healthcare, clean water and sanitation.