UN urges increased humanitarian aid for Sudan amidst growing crisis

UN urges increased humanitarian aid for Sudan amidst growing crisis

The United Nations has convened governments of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the European Union, and the African Union, urging them to increase their support for humanitarian efforts as Sudan grapples with an ongoing influx of refugees and returnees.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have reported dire conditions in regions like Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan.

Millions of people are living without access to essential necessities such as food, clean water, shelter, electricity, education, and healthcare.

Malnutrition rates are escalating, posing a grave threat to 700,000 Sudanese children afflicted with severe acute malnutrition.

Half of the population is facing severe food insecurity, with over 6 million individuals just one step away from starvation.

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Endemic diseases like measles add to the crisis, and sexual and gender-based violence disproportionately affects women and girls.

More than 7 million people, including 3.3 million children, have been displaced from their homes. Over 1 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries, including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

Immediate aid to the affected population is imperative. The Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan requires $2.6 billion to support 18 million people until year-end but is currently only 31% funded.

The Sudan Regional Refugee Assistance Plan, aimed at aiding refugees, returnees, and host communities in five neighboring countries, is only 27% funded and is seeking $1 billion in funding.

In June, donors pledged nearly $1.5 billion for the Sudanese and regional response at a pledging ceremony in Geneva, as per a joint press release by OCHA and UNHCR.