an unprecedented famine threatens populations fleeing war

More than 8 million displaced people are trying to escape the civil war in Sudan, which has already left thousands dead. For the UN, 5 million people could plunge into catastrophic food insecurity in the coming months. To help them, humanitarian organizations need safe and rapid access across the front lines. The UN calls for an international surge. “Sudan is on track to have the world’s largest hunger crisis. We really need additional resources”alerted Alessandra Vellucci, spokesperson for the UN.

Strong heat expected

Women and children are mainly affected. 730,000 children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the coming weeks. In total, nearly 18 million Sudanese face severe food insecurity, 10 million more than the same period last year. A camp set up on the border between North Sudan and South Sudan is on the front line. To make matters worse, the camps are having to deal with an unusual heat wave. This week, temperatures could reach 45°C. Deaths linked to excessive heat have already been reported. The government of South Sudan, for its part, announced the closure of schools for an indefinite period.