The risk of famine in Darfur is expanding: a humanitarian catastrophe threatens western Sudan
International and UN warnings are escalating at an unprecedented rate regarding the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan, as field reports and data issued by relief organizations indicate that the risk of famine is rapidly expanding in Darfur in western Sudan, threatening the lives of millions of civilians trapped in conflict zones.
Background of the conflict and its impact on food security
This alarming deterioration comes amid ongoing fierce fighting that erupted in mid-April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. This protracted conflict has devastated vital infrastructure, disrupted food supply chains, and brought the health system to a standstill across large parts of the country, particularly in the Darfur region, which has a long history of instability and insecurity.
The fighting has prevented farmers from accessing their lands, leading to the failure of successive agricultural seasons, which has exacerbated the scarcity of basic foodstuffs and caused their prices to skyrocket beyond the reach of the average Sudanese citizen, who is now trapped between the fires of war and the specter of hunger.
The situation in the displacement camps in Darfur
Darfur is the most affected region, with its five states hosting a massive number of internally displaced persons. Reports from displacement camps, such as Zamzam camp and others, indicate widespread acute malnutrition among children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. UN agencies have repeatedly stated that restrictions on humanitarian access, whether due to military operations or bureaucratic obstacles, make it impossible to deliver timely aid.
Regional and international repercussions
The effects of this crisis are not limited to Sudan alone; they extend to neighboring countries, particularly Chad and South Sudan, which have received hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the horrors of war and famine. The expanding famine in Darfur threatens a humanitarian catastrophe that could destabilize the entire region if the international community does not intervene urgently and effectively.
Human rights and humanitarian organizations are appealing to the parties to the conflict to open safe corridors for aid to pass through, and to stop hostilities to allow civilians to catch their breath and avoid the looming and terrifying scenario of starvation.
