More than one million Sudanese refugees risk losing vital aid as funding shortfalls deepen, threatening access to food and water in already fragile conditions.
Over 1.3 million Sudanese have fled to Chad since April 2023, escaping conflict between General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army and rival Rapid Support Forces, many arriving traumatised from Darfur.
The World Food Programme and the UN refugee agency warn they cannot sustain operations without closing a $428 million funding gap in coming months.
Officials say limited resources are forcing painful choices, leaving aid groups unable to meet basic needs and pushing vulnerable families toward dangerous survival strategies.
Funding pressures have already reduced assistance, with only four in ten refugees receiving support, while overcrowded classrooms strain education systems beyond capacity.
In Chad’s northeastern Ennedi Est province, water shortages have reached critical levels, with refugees surviving on less than half the daily minimum requirement.
Humanitarian organisations report worsening hunger, with surveys indicating 70 percent of refugee families have cut meals, underscoring a deepening crisis.
Aid agencies point to declining international contributions, including reduced Western funding, as global priorities shift and humanitarian budgets face increasing strain.
Despite planned US aid allocations for 2026, current gaps leave relief efforts stretched thin, casting uncertainty over the future of millions already displaced.
