The humanitarian situation in western Sudan has reached shocking new lows, while the capital Khartoum faces “absolutely devastating” conditions, a senior United Nations official has warned.
Speaking from Port Sudan after visiting Khartoum, Samantha Chattaraj, Emergency Coordinator for the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in Sudan, painted a grim picture of the devastation.
“Vast parts of the city are destroyed. Levels of hunger and desperation are extremely high.”
Samantha Chattaraj
Despite the grim circumstances, she noted, “people remain hopeful.”
Sudan now holds the tragic distinction of being the only country in the world where famine has been officially declared. According to the latest figures, half of Sudan’s population faces extreme hunger, and nearly five million children and breastfeeding mothers are suffering from severe malnutrition.
In March, WFP managed to deliver aid to four million people across Sudan, marking the highest reach since conflict erupted over two years ago. “This marked an important step in getting food to people who have been cut off from aid for a long time,” Ms. Chattaraj said.
Fighting Forces Mass Displacement In Darfur
However, Chattaraj stressed that the need far outstrips what has been achieved. “With 27 areas either in famine or at high risk, the recent progress still covers only a small part of what’s required to stop the crisis,” she emphasized.
The situation in Darfur is equally harrowing. Nearly 450,000 people, already enduring famine and horrific violence, have been forced to flee from El Fasher and Zamzam camps in recent weeks as fighting escalated. “Reports from the ground are shocking,” Chattaraj said, highlighting the urgency with which WFP is mobilizing resources to reach displaced populations scattered across Darfur and Northern State.
The organization is also preparing for the return of many residents to Khartoum in the coming months. WFP, alongside local authorities, plans to deliver emergency food aid to one million people in the greater Khartoum area starting next month.
But the clock is ticking. The rainy season, set to begin in June, will render many roads across Darfur impassable. WFP has only a short window to pre-position food supplies close to vulnerable populations. In response, mobile warehouses are being set up across Darfur to safeguard food stocks and maintain operations even amid adverse weather.
Meanwhile, the plight of around 100,000 people trapped in the besieged city of El Fasher remains dire. With access routes blocked and fighting intensifying, reaching these civilians has become increasingly perilous.
WFP is making an urgent appeal for more funding and safe humanitarian corridors. Without additional support, the agency warns, it will be impossible to sustain life-saving operations in what has now become the world’s largest humanitarian emergency.
“The need is far greater,” Ms. Chattaraj reiterated, underscoring the immense challenges faced by aid workers on the ground. As Sudan teeters on the brink, the international community faces mounting pressure to respond swiftly and decisively to avert even greater catastrophe.
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