In a memo obtained by Reuters, UN relief head Martin Griffiths alerted the Security Council to the possibility that in the upcoming months, over five million people in Sudan may experience catastrophic famine in some areas of the war-torn nation.
According to Griffiths, the conflict’s devastating effects on agricultural output, destruction of vital infrastructure and means of subsistence, interruption of trade flows, sharp price hikes, barriers to humanitarian access, and widespread displacement are the main causes of the acute levels of hunger.
Humanitarian Crisis Escalating in Sudan
“Without urgent humanitarian assistance and access to basic commodities … almost 5 million people could slip into catastrophic food insecurity in some parts of the country in the coming months,” wrote Griffiths.
As the lean season begins and security deteriorates, he predicted that some residents of West and Central Darfur will probably relocate to those famine-stricken areas. Delivering supplies across borders from Chad to Darfur is a “critical lifeline,” according to Griffiths.
According to Griffiths, there are around 730,000 children in Sudan who are expected to experience severe acute malnutrition, with over 240,000 of those children being in Darfur. “An unprecedented surge in the treatment of severe wasting, the most lethal manifestation of malnutrition, is already being observed in inaccessible areas,” Griffiths stated.
On April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) went to war in Sudan. According to the U.N., almost 8 million people have fled their homes and nearly 25 million people, or half of Sudan’s population, require relief. According to the US, the opposing sides have committed war crimes.
A resolution passed by the Security Council in 2018 mandates that the secretary-general of the United Nations report to the 15-member council if there is a “risk of conflict-induced famine and widespread food insecurity in armed conflict.”
Griffiths stated that over 1,000 events involving aid access had been documented since the beginning of the Sudanese war, and these occurrences have “adversely impacted humanitarian operations.” According to him, 71% were brought on by hostilities or deliberate attacks against relief personnel or humanitarian assets.
