Port Sudan — The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered food assistance to more than 800,000 people in famine and famine risk areas across war-torn Sudan since recently launching a large-scale surge in food aid. Recent operational progress is fragile as the situation on the ground is volatile and dangerous. Latest operational details from WFP in Sudan:
- WFP provided food, cash and nutrition assistance to 2.8 million people countrywide in October - the highest number recorded for any given month since the start of the conflict in mid-April 2023.
- WFP has delivered food assistance to more than 800,000 people in famine and famine risk areas as part of a large-scale surge in food aid - including in: Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and Al Salam IDP camps in North Darfur; Kereneik and Sirba in West Darfur; Sheikan in North Kordofan; IDP clusters in Central and South Darfur; and locations in Khartoum including Jebel Awlia and Tuti Island. This accounts for nearly half of all 1.7 million people either facing famine or at risk. WFP is doing everything possible to expand assistance to all areas at risk of famine.
- WFP is pushing to get vital food and nutrition assistance to 14 hunger hotspots, many in embattled locations across Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Gezira, where despite 20 months of fighting, conflict continues to escalate.
- WFP dispatched four times more food assistance in November compared to September as more clearances were received for humanitarian convoys.
- Since September, around 135,000 people in Zamzam camp - the only place in the world where famine has been confirmed - have received food assistance, through WFP food trucked into the camp and commodity vouchers for locally sourced food.
- The first WFP trucks since April arrived in Zamzam camp outside of El Fasher, North Darfur's capital, on 22 November. The distribution of 150 metric tons of assistance for 12,500 people concluded within a week.
- Another WFP convoy is on its way to Zamzam camp via the Adre border crossing in Chad, carrying 860 metric tons for over 70,000 people. The available corridors (cross-border from Adre in Chad or cross-line from Port Sudan via Dabbah) to reach Zamzam have become more dangerous in recent weeks as fighting and intense shelling has escalated.
- A WFP convoy reached Kalma Camp in Beleil, South Darfur - another risk of famine location - carrying 178 metric tons of food and nutrition assistance to nearly 15,000 people. This convoy was originally destined for Zamzam Camp but was redirected by WFP due to insecurity along the route. This convoy left Port Sudan on 12 November and travelled via Dabbah into the Darfur region.
- Fighting in Um Rawwaba, North Kordofan, has prevented a convoy from reaching famine risk areas in North and South Kordofan, including Kadugli and Dilling. The trucks were forced to return to a safer location and are waiting to be rerouted to other accessible areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state as the situation permits. This convoy left Port Sudan on 12 November.
- WFP continues to deliver assistance cross-border from Chad via the critical Adre crossing point. Since August, WFP has transported 9,800 metric tons of assistance for more than 850,000 people into the Darfur region via this vital corridor.
- WFP has supported over two million people with cash assistance in Sudan this year. Ten times more people are receiving cash-based assistance from WFP today than at the beginning of the year. Expanding cash and voucher transfers is critical in a context with limited humanitarian access. Sudan's liquidity crisis is an ongoing challenge.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
