Sudan is Facing Worst Hunger Crisis According to UN

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 21-03-2024

Place in News 5 min read

Sudan is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, as warned by the United Nations after nearly a year of conflict.

Why is Sudan facing a hunger crisis?

According to the U.N. humanitarian office, the ongoing conflict between Sudan's military and paramilitary forces has resulted in a devastating hunger crisis, with malnutrition rates skyrocketing and children losing their lives.
The conflict erupted in April of last year when tensions between General Abdel Fattah Burhan's military and Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces boiled over into violent clashes on the streets of Khartoum.
Director of Operations at the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Edem Wosornu, has called Sudan one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory, based on the scale of its humanitarian needs, the number of people displaced, and the magnitude of the hunger crisis.
During a statement to the UN Security Council on behalf of OCHA head Martin Griffiths, Wosornu expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan, which has been largely ignored by the international community.
The UN reports that over eight million people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict. Despite the Security Council's call for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan and improved access to humanitarian aid in March, the ceasefire was not implemented due to disagreements between the warring factions.
Shockingly, over 18 million Sudanese are currently experiencing acute food insecurity, which is 10 million more than this time last year, and approximately 730,000 Sudanese children are suffering from severe malnutrition.

About Sudan

Sudan is a nation situated at the intersection of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, spanning across the Red Sea. Sudan’s capital and most populous city is Khartoum.
It shares borders with seven neighboring countries, including Libya and Egypt to the North, Chad to the West, the Central African Republic to the South-West, South Sudan to the South, Ethiopia to the South-East, and Eritrea to the East.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was established in December 1991 by the General Assembly to strengthen the global response to natural disasters and complex emergencies.
It replaced the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO). The organization is led by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC), who is appointed for a five-year term.
Martin Griffiths of the United Kingdom has held the role since July 2021. OCHA played a key role in organizing the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey and is an observer in the United Nations Development Group.
The headquarters are located in two cities - New York and Geneva - and are supported by 6 regional offices, 34 country offices, and 20 humanitarian adviser teams.