2024 Sudan famine
| 2024 Sudan famine | |
|---|---|
| Country | Sudan |
| Location | |
| Period | April 2023-ongoing |
| Total deaths | 212+ |
| Refugees | 777,330 to Chad 695,143 to South Sudan 133,049 to Ethiopia 31,600 to the Central African Republic |
| Causes | Sudanese civil war (2023–present) (including war, humanitarian aid blockade, siege, looting) |
| Relief | USD$315 million in humanitarian aid from the United States USD$70 million in humanitarian aid from UAE |
| Effect on demographics | 20% of population in "emergency food situation"[1] |
| Consequences | 25.6 million people suffer acute food shortage
3.6 million children acutely malnourished >755,000 people facing "catastrophic" food insecurity |
| Preceded by | 1998 Sudan famine |
Throughout 2024, the population of Sudan suffered from severe malnutrition and man-made famine conditions as a result of the Sudanese civil war beginning in 2023, primarily in Darfur, Kordofan, and neighboring refugee-taking nations such as Chad. Famine conditions were caused in part by deliberate attempts by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to siege and loot cities with civilians trapped in them, and by both sides blocking off supply routes to allow food and humanitarian aid to flow through.[2]
Background[edit]
As a result of the Sudanese civil war, supplies such as food and water were becoming "extremely acute"[3]. On 22 February 2024, The World Food Programme released a report which said that more than 95% of the Sudanese population couldn't afford a meal a day.[4]
Food shortage[edit]
As of June 18, 25.6 million people were reported to have been currently suffering from acute food shortages. Of these, 756,000 people faced "catastrophic levels of hunger".[5] This was due to many citizens who relied on food rations from the World Food Programme (WFP) having their daily calories reduced by close to 20% compared to two months ago due to only 19% of the WFP's funding objective being achieved. Many Sudanese civilians were forced to trade WFP food rations for less balanced and nutritious but more filling food, like white rice.[6]
Contributing reasons for this was due to cereal production in Darfur and Kordofan falling to 80% below average production in 2023, leading to large price increases that make food too expensive for most people to subsist on for long periods of time. Reportedly, the RSF burned crops, looted warehouses, and restricting border access, which the RSF denied as being due to rogue actors or by the Sudanese military. Many refugee camps greatly grew in population due to the increased rate of refugee intake, further exacerbating food shortages and causing supplies to deplete faster. Refugees are often unable to leave the camps to find work or food due to the danger of being captured or killed by the RSF or other allied militias.
In addition, malnutrition caused lower immune system function leading to greater susceptibility to diseases such as measles, malaria, cholera, and other gastrointestinal diseases. These in turn led to symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea that further exacerbated malnutrition.[7]
Impact[edit]
On 18 June 2024 the UN Director of Operations and Advocacy Edem Wosornu stated that nearly five million people were facing "emergency levels of food insecurity", which included 800,000 vulnerable people in Al-Fashir, North Darfur, including women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. She reported that "over 2 million people in 41 hunger hotspots" were on the cusp of catastrophic famine and that 7,000 new mothers could die without proper food and medical supplies.[6] Officials from the United States reported that the situation in Sudan was "the world's most severe humanitarian crisis" despite the relatively low amount of media attention it received, and that it had the potential to become the worst famine since the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia.[8]
3.6 million children were reported to be "acutely malnourished".[9] The Kalma refugee camp reported that 28 children died of malnutrition coupled with disease in a two-week period in May, and that at least one child passed away every day from these conditions. Reuters found that 14 graveyards in Darfur were expanding at a quicker rate compared to the second half of 2023, indicating the increased impact that malnutrition and disease had on the refugee population.[10] 196 refugee children in Chad died directly from acute malnutrition.[11]
Response[edit]
The United States granted US$315 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan and refugee-receiving countries including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.[12]
The United Arab Emirates set aside 70% of its US$100 million humanitarian pledge to give to Sudan and surrounding countries affected by the humanitarian crisis. The UAE planned to allocate the money to several UN humanitarian agencies to prevent further deterioration of famine conditions. Proposed aid included for food distribution, building and supplying field hospitals, creating emergency shelters, and protecting women made vulnerable by the crisis.[13]
See also[edit]
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References[edit]
- ^ Paravicini, Giulia; Stecklow, Steve (13 June 2024). "Some 756,000 Sudanese face starvation in coming months". Reuters. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ Nashed, Mat. "Starving to death is as scary as the war for Sudanese refugees in Chad". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ "Sudan live news: Supply shortages becoming 'extremely acute' – UN | News | Al Jazeera". web.archive.org. 2023-04-25. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Over 95 Percent Of Sudanese Cannot Afford A Meal A Day: WFP". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ "Over 750,000 people in Sudan at risk of starvation: Global hunger monitor". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
- ^ a b "UN official warns of imminent famine in Sudan". Sudan Tribune. 2024-06-19. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ Mcneill, Ryan; Michael, Maggie; Levinson, Reade (20 June 2024). "Sudan's cemeteries swell with fresh graves as hunger and disease spread". Reuters. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ Borger, Julian (2024-06-17). "'We need the world to wake up': Sudan facing world's deadliest famine in 40 years". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ "Sudan: as millions face famine, humanitarians plead for aid access | UN News". news.un.org. 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ Paravicini, Giulia; Stecklow, Steve (13 June 2024). "Some 756,000 Sudanese face starvation in coming months". Reuters. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Sudan conflict and refugee crisis, Multi-country External Situation Report #1 – 18 June 2024 – Sudan | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ "The United States Announces More than $315 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the People of Sudan – Sudan | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2024-06-16. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ Al Amir, Khitam (2024-06-17). "UAE allocates 70% of its $100 million pledge to UN, its humanitarian agencies in Sudan". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
External links[edit]
Emergency in Sudan at the World Food Programme
Sudan Compounded Crises at the International Rescue Committee