Port Sudan: The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a grave warning that several areas in southern Khartoum, Sudan, are facing an imminent risk of famine as ongoing conflict and a critical funding gap hamper relief efforts.
Speaking to journalists via video link from Port Sudan, WFP’s Sudan Country Director Laurent Bukera described the situation on the ground as dire. “The level of hunger, destitution, and desperation confirms the risk of famine in those areas,” Bukera said during the briefing from Geneva.
After finally securing access to Khartoum, WFP was able to reach one million people across seven localities in the capital, including Jebel Awlia, which was identified as one of the worst-affected zones.
Sudan has been gripped by a brutal conflict since April 2023, when a violent power struggle broke out between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting has displaced millions and left the country divided, with the RSF retaining control over much of western Sudan.
In a significant shift earlier this year, the army regained control of Khartoum in late March after expelling RSF forces that had long obstructed aid deliveries to the city.
Despite this breakthrough, WFP faces a staggering $500 million shortfall in funding for emergency food and cash aid. As a result, the agency has been forced to reduce rations of essential items such as oil and pulses and has suspended distribution of nutritional supplements for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
"Without immediate financial support, we won’t be able to provide the full food package that vulnerable Sudanese populations need," Bukera warned.
As of April, food rations in famine-risk areas have already been cut to 70% of the standard WFP daily intake, equivalent to around 2,100 kilocalories per person. Currently, the agency is supporting approximately four million people across Sudan.
