The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has expressed extreme concern over the deteriorating food situation in Sudan, where nearly 26 million people, including men, women, and children, are suffering from acute hunger.
Highlighting the severity of the crisis, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, stated that 750,000 individuals are on the brink of famine, classified as Integrated Food Security Phase Classification 5 (IPC5).
Dujarric emphasized that rising food prices, access challenges, and the ongoing conflict are severely limiting people’s access to food. He reported that in June, local food prices had increased by 16% compared to May and were 120% higher than in June of the previous year.
“The situation is expected to worsen with the onset of the rainy season,” Dujarric noted. “The Tine border crossing, essential for transporting goods from Chad into Sudan’s Darfur region, is currently blocked due to heavy rains and flooding. Many routes in southern Sudan are also inaccessible, raising fears of a worst-case scenario.”
He stressed the urgent need for the humanitarian community in Sudan to gain access through all possible routes to prevent further deterioration of the situation. Currently, the Sudan humanitarian response is only 30% funded.
Since mid-April last year, the conflict between General al-Burhan’s (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has claimed thousands of lives. According to the UN, over 26 million people are in urgent need of aid and are food insecure, while more than 10 million civilians have been internally displaced.
