Sudan Faces Collapse and Humanitarian Crisis, Warn Aid Agencies
Grim Anniversary Marks Dire Situation
As Sudan marks the grim anniversary of a year-long conflict, aid agencies have warned that the country teeters on the edge of collapse, facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has been largely ignored by the rest of the world. Islamic Relief, a humanitarian and development agency, painted a stark picture of Sudan’s situation, warning that it is on the brink of mass famine, with young children facing the prospect of starving to death.
Neglected by the International Community
The situation in Sudan is dire, with over 8.4 million people, including 2 million children under the age of 5, forced to flee their homes in the wake of the conflict, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Despite these alarming figures, the international response has been woefully inadequate, with only 5% of the 2024 humanitarian response plan for Sudan funded thus far, Islamic Relief said in a statement.
Escalation in Violence and Destruction
The conflict, which has pitted the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has left millions displaced and countless civilians dead or severely injured. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned in a statement Monday of a further escalation in violence in Sudan “as parties to the conflict arm civilians, and more armed groups join the fighting.” Since the start of the civil war, thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and other vital civilian structures have been destroyed, “plunging the country into a severe humanitarian crisis, and creating the world’s largest displacement crisis,” his office said.
A Severe Humanitarian Crisis
“Nearly 18 million people face acute food insecurity, 14 million of them children, and over 70 percent of hospitals are no longer functional amid a rise in infectious diseases,” Türk added.
Call for Urgent Humanitarian Response
Doctors Without Borders on Friday called on leaders attending a donor conference in France to immediately scale up the humanitarian response in Sudan. The charity claimed that a “chronic lack of response from humanitarian organizations and the UN have made an already dire situation in Sudan desperate,” as “Sudanese authorities systematically block the delivery of aid to some areas, while the RSF has looted health facilities and supplies.”
Need for Accountability and Peace Talks
Mohamed Osman, Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch, also said that “the global response to Sudan’s brutal conflict needs to change.” Osman urged leaders to hold those responsible for atrocities and violations of international humanitarian law to account. A specific date for peace talks has not been decided yet, according to US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello.
