UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric took stock during the regular briefing to journalists in New York on Thursday.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been fighting for power since April 2023, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“Unimaginable violence” in El Fasher
Violence has intensified in recent weeks after the capture of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, by RSF, after a siege of more than a year.
PAM Sudan tweeted that while families continue to flee the city, teams remain on the ground to provide immediate assistance.
“We quickly deliver emergency food and nutrition products to hundreds of thousands of people. who are escaping unimaginable violence and hunger,” he said.
Access makes the difference
Mr. Dujarric recalled that famine was confirmed in El Fasher and Kadugli, capital of South Kordofan State, both largely cut off from aid.
“However, In nine other locations where WFP maintained constant access, famine-like conditions were reversed through sustained assistance“, he said.
“WFP highlights that where conflict has eased and humanitarian operations have expanded, hunger has decreased, demonstrating that consistent access makes the difference between starvation and actual recovery.”
Millions more may be affected
The UN agency is currently providing emergency food, cash and nutrition assistance each month to more than four million people in Sudan in previously hard-to-reach areas in four states: Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazeera.
“With more resources, WFP could double its reach to eight million people every month and further reduce the risk of famine spreading to the hardest-hit areas,” he said.
“But without additional support, this fragile progress could quickly be reversed. »
Mr. Dujarric urged the international community “to continue to step up efforts, with the support and funding needed to help the people in Sudan who so desperately need help.”
Families “lack time”
Furthermore, the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCRlaunched an urgent appeal on Thursday for Sudanese civilians who are “now running out of time” as communities are cut off from aid.
The agency highlighted the plight of families who fled the fighting and mass atrocities reported in El Fasher.
“Children are hungry, parents are desperate… They need protection, security and humanitarian access,” UNHCR said in its statement. a tweet.
“Hostilities must end”: Guterres
This comes a day after the UN Secretary-General expressed grave concern over reports of mass atrocities in El Fasher and worsening violence in Kordofan.
António Guterres was speaking to journalists at the end of the joint annual conference between the UN and the African Union (AU), which was held on Wednesday in New York.
“The flow of weapons and fighters from external parties must be stopped. The flow of humanitarian aid must be able to quickly reach civilians in need. Hostilities must cease,” he said. said.
The Secretary-General called on the warring parties to engage with his Personal Envoy for Sudan “and take rapid and tangible steps towards a negotiated settlement.”
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
