Over a million denied aid in Sudan last May, UN reports

June 8, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – According to a recent report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), close to 1.1 million people were denied crucial humanitarian assistance in Sudan during May 2024.

The affected areas include Kordofan, Darfur, Khartoum, and Al Jazirah states, with the main reasons cited as denial of travel permits, border crossing restrictions, insecurity, and obstructions by parties involved in the conflict.

OCHA further reveals that the situation has been deteriorating since April 2024, with an estimated 1.7 million people denied aid across the same regions. These figures underscore the alarming impact of the ongoing conflict on humanitarian access and the urgent need for unimpeded aid delivery.

One in three Sudanese people – nearly 18 million – are struggling with acute food insecurity, and five million are on the brink of famine. This devastating hunger crisis, exacerbated by conflict, has displaced 10 million people, creating a humanitarian emergency of global significance.

Despite the challenges, there has been a notable improvement in the approval of entry visas for humanitarian personnel in May 2024. The approval rate increased to 83%, compared to 45% in the previous month. While this is a positive development, the report also highlights a decrease in the approval rate for UN personnel entry visas from 75% to 62% during the same period.

However, bureaucratic and administrative impediments continue to pose challenges to humanitarian operations. The Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework (AMRF) reported ten incidents between March and May 2024, including violent attacks, operational interference, and bureaucratic obstacles.