UN Warns of Dire Food Crisis in Sudan Amid Rising Conflict
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The United Nations has raised urgent concerns over the escalating food crisis in Sudan, with over 26 million people facing severe hunger, including 750,000 on the brink of famine, as conflict and economic challenges worsen the situation.
“To give you an example, that is equivalent to the entire population of Australia,” UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told journalists at his daily briefing in New York, UN news reported.
He stated that OCHA “continues to be extremely alarmed by the worsening food situation in the country,” noting that the 26 million figure includes 750,000 people who are “just one step away from famine.”
In Sudan, rising food prices, access challenges, and the impact of conflict are compounding people's limited access to food.
Last month, the price of local food increased by 16 percent compared to May and is 120 percent higher than in June 2023.
“People's hardship is only set to worsen as the rainy season takes hold,” said Dujarric.
He explained that the Tine border crossing – used to transport goods from Chad into Sudan’s Darfur region – is currently impassable due to heavy rains and flooding. Many routes in southern Sudan are also inaccessible.
Dujarric warned that “people in Sudan are facing a worst-case scenario” while humanitarians there urgently need access via all possible routes to prevent further deterioration.
He also highlighted the crucial need for financial support, noting that a $2.7 billion plan to cover humanitarian operations this year is only 30 percent funded.
Separately, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan called on the international community to urgently step up efforts to end the war, which recently entered a second year.
The Mission – established by the UN Human Rights Council – has just concluded a three-week visit to neighboring Chad where it documented disturbing patterns of grave human rights violations stemming from the conflict.
The three members met Sudanese refugees who detailed firsthand accounts of horrific acts including killings, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, looting, the burning of houses, and the use of child soldiers.
They noted that many violations appear particularly targeted against professionals such as lawyers, human rights defenders, teachers, and doctors. Forced displacement was a common feature.
