Faith Nyasuguta
In the turbulent landscape of war-torn Sudan, where a conflict between rival generals has persisted for eight months, the United Nations is grappling with the enormity of a humanitarian crisis.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, paints a grim picture, deeming the situation “catastrophic.”
The ongoing power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has plunged the nation into chaos, resulting in the death of over 12,190 people, as reported by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
This conflict, often labeled the “forgotten war,” erupted on April 15 when erstwhile allies turned adversaries, engaging in a brutal struggle for power. The toll on Sudanese civilians has been devastating, with an estimated seven million people displaced, marking the highest displacement situation globally.
However, amid the enormity of this crisis, the humanitarian response remains severely underfunded. Nkweta-Salami reveals that only 38.6 percent of the required $2.6 billion for 2023 has been received.
This chronic lack of funding poses a severe threat to the provision of essential assistance, raising concerns that even with physical access, resources may soon be insufficient.
The plight of Sudan, obscured by other global conflicts, has witnessed the departure of numerous aid groups, their warehouses looted, and their workers harassed or attacked.
The Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the few organizations still offering crucial aid, emphasizes the gravity of the situation. Jan Egeland, the council’s secretary-general, expresses astonishment at the “horrific mega-catastrophe” receiving minimal attention and resources when millions are trapped in the crossfire, ethnic violence, and bombardments.
According to Nkweta-Salami, the UN faces the challenge of reaching a population of approximately 24.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
To date, they have only been able to assist around four million. The goal is to extend aid to around 18 million individuals facing immense challenges related to health, water, sanitation, food, and malnutrition.
Recent efforts have allowed the UN to regain limited access through Chad to certain areas of Darfur, Sudan’s vast western region, where concerns about “genocide” have been raised.
As Sudan’s humanitarian crisis persists, it contends with a lack of global attention and vital resources, leaving millions in dire circumstances and prompting urgent appeals for assistance.
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