On Friday, the World Food Programme announced that it had successfully negotiated the delivery of the first two convoys of food aid into Sudan’s Darfur region in months, amidst dire warnings of an impending famine caused by a year-long war and limited access to food aid.
The war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has triggered widespread hunger across the country, destroying infrastructure and markets, and displacing over eight million people.
According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, catastrophic hunger, the term used to describe the household level for famine conditions, is anticipated in Khartoum and West Darfur, as well as in numerous other areas of Darfur that house millions of displaced individuals.
One convoy, carrying 1,300 tonnes of supplies, successfully entered West and Central Darfur via the Adre border crossing with Chad, two areas already grappling with emergency levels of hunger after being overrun by the Rapid Support Forces.
In February, the Sudanese army halted deliveries through Adre after alleging that the Rapid Support Forces had received support from the United Arab Emirates via Chad, a claim corroborated by UN experts. The WFP, a United Nations organisation expressed uncertainty about its ability to negotiate the use of this route again.
In early March, the army announced its approval for deliveries by air and through the Tina border crossing into North Darfur, the only state in Darfur not under RSF control. The second convoy utilized this route, with convoys containing food aid for 250,000 people in total.
With over 18 million individuals facing acute hunger and requiring assistance according to the WFP, the delivery of these convoys represents a critical step in addressing the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
“I fear that we will see unprecedented levels of starvation and malnutrition sweep across Sudan this lean season,” said WFP Sudan Country Director, Eddie Rowe, said in Friday’s statement, referring to the upcoming planting months.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), prices of essential goods have surged, with some doubling in cost.
In Darfur, especially those residing in displacement camps, reports say they have not received any aid since before the onset of the war. The dire situation is compounded by the fact that the UN’s aid response for Sudan is currently only 5% funded, leaving millions of vulnerable individuals without crucial assistance.
Melissa Enoch
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