More Than Half of Sudan Needs Urgent Aid; 11 Million People Displaced

December 17, 2024 /3BL/ - More than half of Sudan’s population, or 26 million people, now urgently need humanitarian assistance to survive, an increase of 38% since April 2023, when conflict broke out between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces. Famine-like conditions have been detected in parts of the country. The situation is particularly dire in the regions of Central Darfur and South Kordofan, where 68% and 58% of the population, respectively, are severely food insecure.

Sudan is home to the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. Conflict has forced more than 11 million people to flee their homes. Most have relocated to unsanitary and often dangerous temporary shelters, where disease outbreaks are widespread. Many people are completely cut off from basic healthcare, food, clean water, and electricity, as the conflict also has disrupted the flow of humanitarian aid.

“We are in the midst of an unprecedented catastrophe,” said Action Against Hunger Country Director Samy Guessabi. “The war has devastated communities that were already coping with climate shocks and poverty. Now, families have lost their livelihoods and what little they owned. People are at their breaking point, unsure how to survive.”

Since the conflict began, Action Against Hunger has helped more than one million people in Sudan and has supported refugees that cross the border into neighboring countries, where limited resources are being stretched by the influx of refugees who need assistance. In South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia and Uganda, the organization has assisted hundreds of thousands of refugees as well as local community members.

“Over the past fourteen months, teams have been able to supply 400,000 people with safe water and sanitation, screened 300,000 children for malnutrition and provided lifesaving nutrition programs, and delivered transformative cash assistance to 80,000 of those most in need,” Guessabi said.

Almost 7 million people across Sudan are at risk of gender-based violence, and women and girls are facing alarming levels of sexual assault, exploitation, and human trafficking. Action Against Hunger also is providing protection, training or direct support to more than 44,000 victims of gender-based violence in the country.

Humanitarian assistance has not kept pace with rising need. In 2024, Sudan faced a hunger funding gap of 70%, meaning the international community satisfied only 30% of appeals for hunger-related assistance in Sudan. This, despite Sudan ranking 168th in terms of GDP per capita.

“We are calling on the international community to rapidly mobilize the resources that are needed to save lives. It is critical for all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, to cease hostilities, allow humanitarian workers unimpeded entry, and create corridors to allow people safe access to basic services and aid,” Guessabi said.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.