The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported the largest internally displaced population ever recorded, amid warnings of catastrophic food shortages in Sudan. According to preliminary projections by United Nations agencies and aid groups, an estimated 756,000 people in Sudan could face severe food shortages by September.
The recent analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an initiative involving U.N. agencies and aid groups, reflects a rapidly deteriorating situation in the war-torn country. As of June 1, the preliminary results indicate that 25.6 million people, or 54% of the population, are experiencing critical food shortages. This marks a significant increase from December’s projection, which reported 17.7 million people facing high levels of food insecurity.
Fatima Eltahir, a Sudanese government official and chairwoman of the IPC in Sudan, emphasized that the results are not final. Lavonne Cloke, an IPC spokesperson, confirmed that the analysis is ongoing and the report will be finalized in the coming weeks. The new projection requires approval from the Sudanese government, the U.N., and international agencies, with the government previously denying the presence of famine conditions.
Sudan’s current crisis has been exacerbated by ongoing conflict, which began in Khartoum in April 2023 and spread across the country, intensifying ethnic violence in Darfur. The United Nations migration agency recently reported that over 10 million people have been displaced due to the conflict, making Sudan the site of the world’s largest displacement crisis.
The IPC’s projection identifies 32 localities suffering from catastrophic food shortages, including al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, and the nearby Zamzam camp for internally displaced people. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), engaged in conflict with the Sudanese army, control many of these areas.
The IPC uses a five-phase scale to classify food insecurity, with Phase 5 indicating a catastrophe or famine. The latest projection suggests that Sudan is on the brink of reaching Phase 5 conditions, with severe implications for affected populations.
Internationally, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan has drawn comparisons to other conflict zones, such as Gaza, where the IPC has also warned of imminent famine. In Sudan, the conflict has disrupted assessments and aid delivery, complicating efforts to address the growing food insecurity.
As the situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate, international organizations are urgently calling for coordinated efforts to mitigate the impending humanitarian disaster. The ongoing conflict and displacement, coupled with severe food shortages, pose a significant challenge to both national and global stability.
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