Sudan: WFP Scaling Up As Hunger Catastrophe Looms

20 June 2024
United Nations World Food Programme (Rome)
press release

World Food Programme boosting operations to support an additional 5 million people by the end of the year - and avert famine in the war-torn country

World Food Programme food security analysis has identified 44 hunger hotspot locations in Sudan - largely in areas of active fighting such as Khartoum, Kordofan, Darfur and Gezira - in which 2.6 million people are at high risk of falling into IPC5 conditions (red alert on the global standard for measuring hunger). Urgent humanitarian assistance is critical.

WFP is prioritizing assistance to these areas and has delivered food assistance to 22 of the hunger hotspot locations since January.

WFP has reached more than 3 million people and plans to reach an additional 5 million people through general food assistance, nutrition, school meals, and resilience activities throughout the year.

Key recent developments

  • So far this year, five convoys carrying 5,000 tons of WFP food have crossed from Chad to Darfur: two via the now-closed Adre border point and three via the Tine cross-border route. Trucks reached communities across Darfur
  • Distributions have completed in South Darfur, while others are ongoing in Central and West Darfur. Some trucks of the latest convoy have reached their final destinations in West, Central and East Darfur, while parts of the convoy are still on their way to final destinations
  • WFP is currently preparing another three convoys from Chad via Tine into Darfur. These convoys will support communities across the whole Darfur region, including newly internally displaced people (IDPs) from El Fasher
  • WFP food distributions are ongoing in Kauda, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile State, with food assistance delivered via South Sudan. The start of the rainy season and poor telecommunications are adding another layer of complexity to operations in South Kordofan
  • Last week, WFP began its first food distributions in Gezira State since the Rapid Support Forces takeover of Wad Madani in December 2023, which forced WFP to temporarily relocate staff and operations. Distributions are ongoing
  • Children in 460 schools across Kassala and Gedaref were provided take-home rations last week
  • Cash distributions started last week in Blue Nile and West Darfur, the first in those locations since the start of the conflict
  • Nutrition support for children and mothers in priority 'hotspot' locations in South Kordofan, and in West, South, and Central Darfur is ongoing. WFP enables services for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women - to both prevent and treat moderate acute malnutrition - in 14 of Sudan's 18 states. WFP is currently scaling up support, prioritizing the 44 hunger hotspot locations.

Read the original article on WFP.

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