The UN warned that nearly 19 million Sudanese will suffer from food insecurity over the next few months as a result of the ongoing fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, which started in mid-April 2023.
Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for the United Nations, said in a press conference that the World Food Program warns that 19 million people may suffer from acute food shortages during the next three to six months.
The World Food Program (WFP) expects that the “number of acutely food insecure people in Sudan will increase by between two and 2.5 million people,” said Haq.
“That raises the number to a total of 19 million people in the next three to six months if the current conflict continues,” he added.
According to the WFP, the most affected Sudanese provinces to see high rates of food insecurity would be West Darfur, West Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Red Sea.
The spokesman pointed out that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirms that the situation in Sudan is getting more dangerous.
Haq reiterated an appeal by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to secure $445 million to support an outflow of refugees from Sudan and to provide aid in the next six months.
The acute lack of food in Sudan constitutes a major human rights challenge, as the most basic human right is to obtain adequate and healthy food, which is stipulated in many international agreements and covenants, including the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The lack of food increases the spread of poverty, homelessness and diseases, which negatively affects the lives of civilians and endangers their lives. It is the responsibility of governments and humanitarian organisations to work seriously to prevent food shortages and provide the necessary aid to those affected.
