Today's Edition
DINA MAHMOUD (KHARTOUM)
On the brink of the sixth month of the crisis in Sudan, both regional and international warnings are escalating about the devastating toll being paid by civilians there due to the ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
This has forced millions of people to flee their homes, becoming internally displaced or refugees. United Nations (UN) sources confirm that Sudan has become the stage for the world’s fastest-escalating displacement crisis. Reports indicate that the fighting has led nearly 5.4 million people to seek refuge or become displaced. The current confrontations are causing a daily average of 30,000 people to flee their homes, some without any belongings whatsoever.
The disclosure of these figures coincides with the ongoing funding crisis faced by the UN regarding the necessary budget to continue its relief activities in Sudan. So far, the UN has not been able to raise two-thirds of the amount needed to provide vital and necessary assistance to more than 18 million people, which is approximately $2.6 billion. Recent data indicates that approximately 20.3 million of Sudan’s population are now facing severe food insecurity, making this country among the most affected by this issue.
Furthermore, half of the population requires protection and humanitarian assistance due to the confrontations, the majority of which are centred in the capital, Khartoum, and the Darfur region. Amid warnings that battles continue with no signs of ending soon, placing Sudanese on the brink of an abyss, UN humanitarian officials have pointed to the steadily deteriorating living conditions in the country.
This is very concerning given that 70% of hospitals in Sudan have ceased operations amid fears of a larger outbreak of water-borne diseases, such as cholera. In statements published on the “Voice of America” website, UN officials said that the escalation of battles halts the necessary measures to combat the spread of such diseases, making containment virtually impossible.
The officials also expressed their concerns about the confrontations extending to the Gezira state, known as the “food basket of Sudan”, which would have grave repercussions on the already deteriorating food security situation. They emphasised that the failure to quickly achieve a ceasefire is a signal that the ongoing fighting could evolve into a prolonged war. Sudan has become the stage for the world’s fastest-escalating displacement crisis The UN faces difficulty in securing funding to continue its relief activities 70% of hospitals have ceased operations, and there are fears of epidemics spreading.
