UN agencies urge global action as Sudan crisis deepens
Four United Nations agencies on Thursday urged urgent international action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, warning that millions face starvation, disease and displacement after more than 900 days of brutal conflict.
Senior officials from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UNICEF, and the World Food Programme (WFP) stated that Sudan is now among the world’s most severe emergencies, with over 30 million people in need of aid and 9.6 million internally displaced. Nearly 15 million children require assistance, they said.
During recent visits to Sudan, the agencies’ leaders witnessed the devastation firsthand in Khartoum, Darfur and other war-torn areas, where famine, disease and human rights abuses are widespread.
“This scale of return to Khartoum is both a sign of resilience and a warning,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM’s deputy director general for operations. “People are coming back to a city still scarred by conflict, where homes are damaged and basic services are barely functioning.”
The conflict, now in its third year, has shattered essential services such as healthcare and education, leaving 14 of the country’s 17 million school-aged children out of school. Famine was confirmed in parts of Sudan last year, and hunger remains catastrophic, with thousands at imminent risk of death without immediate food and nutrition assistance.
In Darfur and the Kordofan states, communities are trapped and cut off from food, water and medical care. More than 260,000 civilians, including 130,000 children, have been under siege in Al Fasher for 16 months, according to UNICEF. Outbreaks of cholera, dengue, and malaria are spreading, and health facilities have collapsed.
“What I witnessed in Darfur and elsewhere this week is a stark reminder of what is at stake: children facing hunger, disease, and the collapse of essential services,” said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF deputy executive director. “Families are doing everything they can to survive, but their resolve must be matched by urgent global action.”
Kelly T. Clements, UNHCR’s deputy high commissioner, described the situation as “one of the worst protection crises we’ve seen in decades,” citing widespread displacement and rising risks of sexual violence.
Despite the dire conditions, more than 2.6 million people have returned to their homes as fighting eased in some areas. But most returnees have found their neighbourhoods in ruins and basic services non-functional.
Funding shortfalls are worsening the crisis. The $4.2 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan is only 25% funded, jeopardising emergency operations. Humanitarian agencies have reached 13.5 million people so far this year but warned that without additional resources, lifesaving assistance could be scaled back.
“I saw a city devastated by war, where families returning home to Khartoum urgently need food, water and basic services. But above all, I saw hope,” said Valerie Guarnieri, WFP assistant executive director.
The agencies jointly called for an immediate cease-fire, unimpeded humanitarian access, simplified aid delivery procedures, urgent funding, and sustained support for displaced populations and refugees.
“The humanitarian community stands ready,” the statement said. “But it cannot act alone. The world must step up.”
Since April 2023, Sudan has faced an unprecedented humanitarian crisis driven by the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of violence, with nearly 9 million people displaced internally, making Sudan the world's largest internal displacement crisis. An additional over 3 million people have fled to neighbouring countries.
