The United Nations has warned of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan as the country marks 1,000 days since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict, revealing that more than 21 million people are suffering from acute food insecurity amid the world’s largest internal displacement crisis.
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said in a press briefing in Geneva that over 34 million people across Sudan now urgently need humanitarian assistance, stressing that the scale of suffering is “immense and worsening by the day.”
According to the UN, Sudan is currently witnessing the world’s largest internal displacement crisis, with more than 9.3 million people forced to flee their homes within the country, and an additional 4.3 million seeking refuge across borders, putting immense pressure on neighboring nations such as Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.
Laerke confirmed that famine has already been declared in areas like El-Fasher and Kadugli, while more than 20 other locations remain on the brink. He emphasized that “women and girls are bearing the brunt of the suffering,” adding that “female-headed households are three times more likely to face food insecurity, with three-quarters reporting insufficient access to food.”
“Hunger in Sudan has become increasingly gendered,” Laerke warned, calling for immediate and sustained international action to prevent further deterioration and ensure aid reaches those in dire need.
The conflict, which erupted on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), stemmed from disputes over the transition to civilian rule and the integration of paramilitary forces into the national army.
Despite numerous mediation efforts by African, Arab, and international actors, no lasting ceasefire has been achieved. The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced an estimated 13 million people, creating what the UN and African Union describe as one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history.
