UN agencies warn of impending famine and aid obstacles in Sudan

October 25, 2024 (UNITED NATIONS) – UN agencies warned on Friday that access constraints in Sudan are hindering aid delivery and monitoring, with 14 regions on the brink of famine and millions of children facing severe malnutrition.

“Access constraints in Sudan are hindering the ability to deliver supplies and protection to the most vulnerable communities,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said famine conditions have been confirmed in Zamzam camp in North Darfur, and 14 other regions are teetering on the brink.

“There are 3.7 million children under the age of five projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year alone who are in urgent need of life-saving treatment,” the statement said.

This comes amid a massive displacement crisis, with over 10 million people displaced within Sudan and more than 800,000 refugees hosted within its borders.

UNHCR, UNICEF, and their partners are providing critical services, but they warned that the situation will worsen without sustained international support, including a political solution to the conflict and the removal of bureaucratic and security obstacles.

“Without sustained international backing – including attention for a political way to address the conflict and the removal of bureaucratic and security obstacles – the situation will continue to worsen,” the agencies said.