“We appeal to the international community not to forget Sudan,” Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the country, said recently in an exclusive interview with UN News.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and former ally the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been battling since 15 April 2023. The war has decimated Sudan and sparked the world’s worst displacement crisis. Some 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes for other areas in the country, or across the border.

This year, humanitarians are seeking $4.2 billion to support a staggering 30 million people in Sudan.

Ms. Nkweta-Salami underscored the commitment of the UN and partners to continue assisting war-weary civilians trapped in a dangerous and deadly environment.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami: The humanitarian situation is catastrophic; I think we’ve used that adjective many times now. We are almost two years into the conflict, and we would have hoped to have been able to ensure that we could provide humanitarian assistance comprehensively to those in need.

We’re still struggling. We don’t have access to all the hotspot areas. We are trying our best to make sure that the resources we have can be moved out as quickly as possible using all the modalities that we have available to us.

But the displacement is significant, the needs are enormous, we’ve already had famine identified in some parts of the country, and we’re working against the clock to try and prevent it spreading.

So, all in all, I would say that we still need to make a mammoth effort. We still need support from the international community in terms of resources, and we still need greater facilitation by all the armed groups engaged in this conflict.

UN News: Your focus is on humanitarian operations and getting aid to people, but is there anything you can tell us about the current phase of the fighting and political developments?

Clementine Nkweta-Salami: Humanitarian assistance needs to continue in the absence of a political solution to the conflict, in the absence of a ceasefire. We continue to work with the international community – Member States who are engaged in the political discussions and negotiations – to try and use the discussions to facilitate our work through humanitarian pauses and trying to get the armed groups to agree to routes that we could use which would not be subject to attacks, shelling or bombardment.

In the absence of a political solution, we will continue to forge ahead with the humanitarian response.

The needs of the people are significant. They need health services. They need access to water. They need electricity.  But more importantly, they need access to food, medicines, and shelter. And one of the areas that we believe is critical, and perhaps is not readily as visible, is of course protection.

We have high numbers of gender-based violence. We have children in need of protection, children out of school, and we continue to insist in line with international humanitarian law and human rights law that the protection of civilians be upheld as this conflict continues.

And this is something we haven’t seen, and we continue to push. Civilians are really bearing the brunt of this conflict, and all armed actors need to abide by international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians: those in the cities and those who want to flee.

UN News: This is a good time to remind our audience about how the UN is providing humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami: We’re trying to bring in assistance across lines – that  is throughout the territory, arriving at Port Sudan and trying to push it to those areas where there is the greatest need. We’re also trying to use the cross-border entry points as well.

We need to use as many of these options [as possible], keep them open, ensure that we have agreements with all the armed groups so that we can use them to bring assistance at scale and as quickly as possible to the highly impacted areas.

We have convoys of food. We also have medicines. We have nutrition supplies. We have supplies to address some of the endemic issues. We’ve had cholera outbreaks. We need to ensure that populations have clean and safe drinking water.

I should also underline that it’s not the UN alone. The UN works with international NGOs, many of whom are able to work in parts of the country where we have no access, where we have no permission to establish a presence, and implement some of our activities.

We also have a large national NGO network – and some of these are female-headed NGOs. They are really at the frontlines, and we are channelling assistance to them, either cash, money or in-kind.

UN News: Famine conditions have been confirmed in some areas in Sudan, particularly the Zamzam camp in North Darfur. You mentioned that there’s also the chance of it spreading to other parts of the country. How worrying is this?

Clementine Nkweta-Salami: Very worrying. If you allow me to just perhaps turn to the situation in Darfur. El Fasher remains under siege, with civilian populations trapped for many months, and they face daily shelling, displacement and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

Many of the populations have wanted to leave. They’ve been prevented from leaving. Many of them have moved many times, and the situation is very dire.

We are very, very concerned, and I strongly condemn the intensifying deliberate attacks on civilians – particularly those in North Darfur but other parts of Darfur as well, and more recently, the airstrike on the market where we registered a significant loss of life.

I’ve mentioned international humanitarian law before. I think particularly in the Darfurs the protection of civilians is key, and we remind the parties as often as necessary to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm, to provide safe and hindered passage for civilians seeking to flee areas of active conflict.

Now, coming to the actual levels of food insecurity, let me just say that the situation at the Zamzam camp is catastrophic: severe shortages of food, water and medical supplies; the prices of basic goods have skyrocketed, making essential items unaffordable for most families, and Zamzam is a site in which famine conditions were identified last August and re-confirmed in December.

We also had areas in Khartoum at risk of famine, and also in the Kordofans and in the Blue Nile state as well.

UN News: You mentioned attacks, and humanitarians are also under fire. Can you talk about how the insecurity and the fighting affect aid delivery?

Clementine Nkweta-Salami: We have lost an unacceptable number of humanitarian actors during this conflict, and humanitarian actors shouldn’t lose their lives trying to provide support to those in need.

There is conflict in various parts of the country. Khartoum previously was a hot spot, but the Darfurs continue to be a hot spot, more significantly around the border area with Chad, El Fasher and of course Zamzam. We also have hot spots in Nyala and now very recently in the Kordofans where we have seen an uptick in fighting, and also the Blue Nile.

The security situation is impacting our work negatively. But even where there is conflict, humanitarian workers are willing – and do have means and methods of being able to access these locations.

UN humanitarian partners provide emergency assistance at a gathering site in Gedaref State, Sudan.

UN News: You’ve outlined the challenges, but also the work that the UN and partners are doing to bring aid to people in Sudan. This is taking place against the backdrop of an immense shortfall in funding for humanitarian operations worldwide this year.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami:  Indeed, we are concerned that we will not be able to obtain a level of funding for this crisis that would allow us to address the urgent needs of the population.

We have been informed by some of our donors that there will be reductions in the resources that they will make available to us during the course of this year.

I think it’s important to know that since this crisis began, the humanitarian needs have only grown. We started 2024 with about 24 million people. We ended with about 30 million people.

[Looking at] our Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, the figures seem to be quite high but when you break them down it’s about 50 cents per person per day.

People are in a dire situation and we appeal to the international community not to forget Sudan, not to forget the men and the women and children of Sudan who find themselves in this very difficult situation at this moment in time.

Speaking on Thursday at a press conference in Geneva, Tedros said that in around 25 per cent of countries, some health facilities have had to close completely due to cuts, according to figures from more than 100 countries compiled by WHO.

Severe disruptions

Out-of-pocket payments for health services have led to disruptions to the supply of medicines and other health products, as well as rising job losses in the healthcare sector.

As a result, “countries are revising budgets, cutting costs and strengthening fundraising and partnerships,” said the UN health agency chief.

From aid dependency to self-reliance

Having to revise budgets, cut costs and strengthen partnerships and fundraising, some countries are relying on WHO’s support to transition away from aid dependency towards sustainable self-reliance.

“We are now supporting countries to accelerate that transition,” said Tedros, citing examples of countries such as South Africa and Kenya, who are successfully working towards averting the health impacts of sudden and unplanned cuts.

WHO recommendations

Tedros provided countries with several recommendations on ways to mitigate funding cuts:

• The world’s poorest populations need prioritising by limiting their exposure to out-of-pocket spending
• Resist reductions in public health spending and protect health budgets
• Channel donor funds through national budgets, rather than parallel donation systems
• Avoid cutting services or closing facilities, and absorb as much of the impact as possible through efficiency gains in health system

New revenue sources

Through short and long-term tools, WHO also encourages countries to generate new sources of revenues.

Immediate measures such as introducing or increasing taxes on products that harm public health is another effective tool to maintain spending on health, he added.

Countries such Colombia and the Gambia, which in recent years have introduced such taxes, have seen revenues increase and consumption fall, said Tedros.

In the longer term, WHO is advocating for social and community-based health insurance policies, where individuals or families can contribute a small amount to a fund which boosts health service financing.

Although not all measures will be right for every country, WHO is “working with affected countries to identify which measures are best for them, and to tailor those measures accordingly.”

As the war enters its third year, UN humanitarians warn that immediate action is essential.

“This is a manmade crisis, driven by conflict – not by drought or floods or earthquakes and because of the obstruction of access to humanitarian assistance by parties to the conflict,” Shaun Hugues, Regional Emergency Coordinator at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), told journalists in New York, via video link from Nairobi.

The brutal war between rival militaries – the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 12.4 million people, including more than 3.3 million as refugees in neighbouring countries.

“Tens of thousands more will die in Sudan during a third year of war unless we have the access and resources to reach those in need,” Mr. Hugues warned.

Half the population facing hunger

According to WFP, approximately half of Sudan’s population – 25 million people – is facing extreme levels of hunger, including about five million children and mothers suffering acute malnutrition.

The war, which started on 15 April 2023, has decimated critical infrastructure and led to widespread food shortages, making it the only place in the world currently classified as experiencing famine.

Famine has been confirmed in at least 10 locations in Sudan, including the Zamzam camp, home to 400,000 displaced persons (IDPs). Another 17 areas are at risk in the coming months.

“The scale of what is unfolding in Sudan threatens to dwarf much of what we have seen over previous decades,” Mr. Hugues said.

Women, girls at extreme risk

Women and girls face unprecedented vulnerability, with a sharp increase in maternal deaths and over 80 per cent of hospitals in conflict zones non-operational, leaving many without critical medical care.

Furthermore, cases of conflict-related sexual violence remain hugely underreported, UN Women said, warning that “evidence points to its systematic use as a weapon of war”.

“Women in Sudan are enduring the gravest forms of violence – particularly sexual violence,” said Anna Mutavati, UN Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.

“Their strength is extraordinary, but they cannot and should not be left to navigate this crisis alone.”

Fragile gains

Despite challenges, humanitarians are making progress. WFP assistance has tripled since mid-2024, as teams access new areas.

For its part, UN Women has assisted over 15,000 women in some of the worst affected areas, providing critical services and skills trainings. It has also helped set up safe spaces where women and girls can access shelter and protection.

“But these gains are fragile, and they are still just a fraction of the needs,” Mr. Hugues said.

Race against time

Along with fighting, physical access is a major challenge.

With rains approaching, many routes will become impassable, complicating aid delivery, he said.

“We need access. We need to be able to quickly move humanitarian assistance to where it is needed, including through front lines, across borders, within contested areas, and without lengthy bureaucratic processes.”

Mr. Hugues also highlighted the urgent need of funding, noting that WFP is already forced to reduce rations by up to half of what is needed in some places.

“Without funding, we are faced with the choice to either cut the number of people receiving assistance or to cut the amount of assistance they receive,” he said, noting that the agency needs an additional $650 million to continue its operations over the next six months.

It also needs $150 million for programmes assisting Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.

Sudan needs peace

Mr. Hugues stressed that above all, the Sudanese people need peace.

“We need a ceasefire and an end to hostilities so that they can begin to rebuild their lives,” he said.

Alongside, UN Women underscored the need to ensure women’s voices “are amplified at every peace negotiation table.”

“We urge all stakeholders – governments, donors, the international community – to act decisively. Sudanese women deserve not merely survival, but the dignity to rebuild and thrive,” Ms. Mutavati said.

OCHA said dozens of people, including at least eight children, were killed in Gaza City on Wednesday after an Israeli strike hit a residential building. Many others are still missing under the rubble. 

The agency stressed that civilians must be protected and should never be a target.

Medical evacuations and displacement orders

Israel’s total blockade on all commercial and lifesaving relief supplies remains in place, though the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed to some good news as 18 Gazans were medically evacuated for specialized treatment abroad. 

The patients along with nearly 30 companions headed for Norway, Malta, Luxembourg and Romania via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza on Wednesday.

WHO noted, however, that some 12,500 patients in the enclave still need to be evacuated.

Access to healthcare facilities has been impacted by displacement orders issued by the Israeli military and the safety of healthcare workers remains at risk.

At least two medical professionals were reported killed as they left their health facility in Gaza City on Monday, according to OCHA.

Today, 12 out of 17 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are partially functional and there is only one field hospital. 

Blockade’s devastating impacts

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the dire health conditions in a media briefing on Thursday.

He said the blockade, which took effect on 2 March, has prevented the entry of all food and medicine. Additionally, 75 per cent of UN missions within Gaza over the past week were denied or impeded.

“This blockade is leaving families hungry, malnourished, without clean water, shelter, and adequate healthcare, and increasing the risk of disease and death,” he said, speaking from WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

He noted that during the recent “precious ceasefire” WHO was able to re-supply the Gaza health system as well as its warehouses. Stocks are now dangerously low and will run out within two to four weeks.

Healthcare under attack

Tedros said that “180,000 doses of routine childhood vaccines – enough to fully protect 60,000 children under the age of two – have not been allowed to enter, leaving newborns and young children at risk.”

Furthermore, it is estimated that since the ceasefire collapsed, almost 1,500 people have been killed, including 500 children, and almost 400,000 people have been displaced again.

“The health system is only functioning partially and is overwhelmed. Meanwhile, healthcare continues to be attacked,” Tedros said, recalling that more than 400 humanitarians have been killed since the Gaza conflict began in October 2023, following the deadly Hamas terror attacks in southern Israel.

Looting on the rise

As supplies inside the Gaza Strip near exhaustion and the situation becomes increasingly dire, there has been an increase in looting in recent days, OCHA said.  

Several incidents were reported in Rafah, and Deir Al-Balah, and Al Zawaida earlier this week.

OCHA once again reiterated the urgency of re-opening crossings to allow the entry of critical supplies. 

Children going hungry

Currently, more than 60,000 children are reportedly suffering from malnutrition at a time when community kitchens are rapidly running out of fuel and supplies.   

Humanitarian partners are also warning of acute water shortages in shelters hosting displaced people. 

“The loss of water – together with the lack of cleaning supplies and cohabitation with livestock – are having a dire public health impact. In March, more than one third of households in Gaza experienced lice infestations,” OCHA said.

This week, humanitarian partners also identified more than a dozen unaccompanied and separated children and are doing everything possible to reunite them with their families. 

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake – which struck on March 28 – has claimed over 3,600 lives, injured a further 4,800 people and left 184 still missing.

The disaster has affected more than nine million people across 58 townships, with thousands of buildings, including hospitals and schools, reduced to rubble. Aftershocks continue to rattle the hardest-hit regions, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.

In response, UN agencies are calling for an additional $241.6 million to aid those in the most affected regions, while also channelling $134 million from the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Myanmar – which was released in December 2024.

The revised plan identifies around two million newly affected people in urgent need of assistance, adding to the 4.3 million who were already in need before the quake.

Myanmar was already in crisis before the disaster, with nearly 20 million – roughly a third of the population – in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, amid a brutal civil war between the forces of the military junta which seized power in February 2021 and opposition militias.

Heartbreaking destruction

During a visit to Myanmar, UN Special Envoy Julie Bishop met with communities devastated by the quake and urged international support for both immediate relief and long-term reconstruction.

She reiterated the urgent need for a ceasefire to enable humanitarian response and recovery.

“We need to continue to urge for a ceasefire, to stop the killing, stop the conflict so that the humanitarian workers, the search and rescue teams and those involved in rebuilding and reconstruction have the space to operate safely and securely,” she said.

Ms. Bishop described the destruction as “heartbreaking” and praised the resilience of survivors.

“I was particularly struck by those who have lost their homes but are determined to rebuild amid the rubble,” she said, stressing the need for global support.

“The international community has a significant role to play in supporting additional funding during this particular time of need but also using their influence to ensure…that all actors in this conflict put down their arms and focus their efforts on restoring the shattered lives of the people of Myanmar.”

Response overwhelmed

UN agencies report that Myanmar’s vital public services, already strained by conflict and instability, are now overwhelmed.

Myanmar’s remaining health facilities have critical shortages of medical supplies, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a humanitarian bulletin.

More than 193 healthcare centres and 2,311 schools have been damaged or destroyed, while ongoing infrastructure failures have led to food shortages, rising prices, and an increased risk of infectious diseases.

A cluster of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases has already been reported in Sagaing and Mandalay, exacerbated by the destruction of sanitation systems.

Furthermore, extreme heat – reaching 44°C (111°F) – and heavy, off-season rains have worsened conditions for survivors, many of whom remain without shelter.

Fragile infrastructure exposed

The earthquake has also reignited concerns about Myanmar’s fragile infrastructure.

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) warned that rebuilding roads, bridges and key public buildings must be prioritised to prevent future disasters inflicting a similar level of damage.

“This is not optional – it is a social and economic imperative,” the commission said.