25 M in Need, 8 M Displaced amid Fears of Imminent Famine in Sudan

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has upheaved the lives of its inhabitants, resulting in thousands of casualties, millions displaced from their homes, and hundreds of thousands seeking refuge, particularly in neighboring Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.

 This vast country now faces the threat of fragmentation, with the conflict's sparks spreading to wider regions, while the world remains focused largely on other conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

As American Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield wrote about the "unforgivable silence" towards Sudan, Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, stated to "Asharq Al Awsat" that "a full year of war in Sudan has caused suffering beyond imagination," citing violence, hunger, displacement, and disease as exacerbating factors.

Griffiths warned that without expanded efforts comprising diplomatic endeavors to halt fighting, aid delivery, and funding for humanitarian response, the situation could escalate into a catastrophe as the conflict enters its second year.

With over 15,000 casualties reported so far, approximately 25 million Sudanese are in dire need of humanitarian assistance and protection, with three-quarters facing acute food insecurity. About 8 million people have been forced to flee their homes, marking the largest internal displacement crisis globally.

The UN has cautioned of an imminent catastrophe in Sudan, currently witnessing the world's largest displacement crisis and possibly evolving into one of the worst hunger crises globally. Over a third of the population, around 18 million people, face acute food insecurity, with nearly 5 million on the brink of famine in conflict-affected areas. 

Additionally, 3.5 million children suffer from severe malnutrition, with the World Health Organization warning of the potential deaths of 230,000 children, pregnant women, and new mothers due to starvation in the coming months without urgent funding and life-saving assistance.

Furthermore, approximately 19 million children remain out of school, a quarter of hospitals in Sudan are no longer operational, and 62 attacks targeting healthcare facilities were verified over the past year. 

The collapse of the healthcare system, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, coupled with shortages of staff, medicines, vaccines, equipment, and supplies, exacerbates the suffering, with women and children bearing the brunt of the conflict.

Reports indicate that over 16,000 children under the age of 5 arriving in Chad from Sudan suffer from acute malnutrition, highlighting the severity of hunger. Conditions are expected to worsen in the upcoming season between harvests, potentially leading to increased malaria rates.

Despite international organizations' complaints about insufficient global attention to ending the war, a senior diplomat from one of the five permanent Security Council members emphasized ongoing monitoring of the conflict's intensity. 

Diplomatic efforts are underway to secure better funding for humanitarian response at the Paris conference, aiming to bridge the gap in UN's $2.7 billion appeal, amidst dire humanitarian conditions exacerbated by fierce fighting and aid delivery challenges, including through the Port Sudan.

The fighting between the army, Rapid Support Forces, and their allied factions intensifies, primarily over control of mineral resources, including gold, vast agricultural wealth, and the population exceeding 45 million.