World Food Programme warns Sudan faces largest hunger crisis in recent history

The United Nations has issued a stark warning about the escalating hunger crisis in Sudan, which is on track to become the world's largest in recent history. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that nearly 1.7 million people are facing famine or are at risk, with the situation particularly dire in North Darfur's Zamzam camp and 13 other areas plagued by conflict.

The statistics are alarming: over 25.6 million people—more than half of Sudan's population—are acutely food insecure, marking the highest levels ever recorded in the country. Shockingly, one in every two individuals globally experiencing catastrophic hunger levels resides in Sudan, including over 750,000 people. Among the most vulnerable are 4.7 million children under five and pregnant or breastfeeding women, who are suffering from acute malnutrition.

In response to this crisis, the WFP is ramping up its operations, having reached 2.8 million people in October alone, the highest monthly figure since the conflict began in April 2023. The agency is calling on world leaders to prioritize the Sudan crisis, emphasizing the urgent need for increased diplomatic efforts and funding to prevent further destabilization of the region.

Additionally, the UN Refugee Agency is actively assisting over 3 million refugees and asylum seekers who have fled to neighboring countries, highlighting the urgent need for water, food, shelter, and health services among these populations.

In a related development, Tom Fletcher, the UN's Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, is set to brief the Security Council on the situation in Sudan. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General's personal envoy for Sudan, Ram Tam Limamra, has concluded meetings aimed at enhancing peace initiatives, stressing the collective responsibility to alleviate the ongoing suffering in the country.

As tensions rise in South Sudan's Tambora region, peacekeepers are on high alert, urging restraint among involved parties while supporting humanitarian efforts. The international community faces a critical moment to act decisively in response to these escalating humanitarian crises.