GENEVA: The United Nations urged Sudan’s warring factions on Friday to grant unrestricted access for delivering urgently needed aid, as the threat of famine looms following nearly a year of conflict.
The ongoing war between army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths since April last year, causing extensive infrastructure damage and severely impacting the economy. This has led to a dire humanitarian crisis and acute food shortages, pushing the country toward the brink of famine.
Jill Lawler, the emergency chief in Sudan for the UN children’s agency UNICEF, emphasized the challenge of delivering aid from stocked supplies in Port Sudan to the affected populations. “Humanitarian access, ensuring unimpeded delivery to these populations, is crucial,” she stated during a press briefing in Geneva conducted via video link from New York.
Lawler recounted leading the first UN mission to Khartoum state in 11 months, where they witnessed firsthand the immense needs of children across the country. She stressed the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian access both within Sudan and across its borders with neighboring countries.
The escalating conflict is driving Sudan toward famine, with hunger being the top concern expressed by the affected population. Lawler warned of catastrophic loss of lives unless there is sufficient political will, attention, and resources dedicated to the response.
The UN World Food Programme has cautioned that the conflict could lead to the world’s largest hunger crisis.
Moreover, the UN called for increased financial support for aid operations in Sudan, highlighting that out of the $2.7 billion needed for aid this year, only five percent has been received so far.
