Sudan Humanitarian Update (22 September 2023) [EN/AR]

HIGHLIGHTS

• Conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has displaced about 5.3 million people within Sudan and neighbouring countries.

• More than 50 humanitarian and human rights organizations are urging more assistance and solidarity with Sudan.

• Over 1,000 suspected measles cases were reported last week bringing the total number of cases across Sudan to 4,334 since April 2023

• More than 1,200 refugee children have died in White Nile State due to suspected measles and underlying malnutrition, reports UNHCR.

• According to partners, at least 72,000 people have been affected by heavy rains and flooding across 16 localities in seven states.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

With fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in its fifth month since April, some 5.3 million people have fled their homes and sought refuge in Sudan or neighbouring countries.

Within Sudan, more than 4.2 million people have been displaced to 3,929 locations across all 18 states as of 19 September, according to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM) Weekly Displacement Snapshot. This includes about 114,700 people who were displaced over the past week alone. Most displacement has been to River Nile, South Darfur, East Darfur, Northern, Sennar, and North Darfur states. IOM reports that most newly displaced people are staying with host communities (67 per cent) or in rented accommodations (9.5 per cent) in urban areas. The majority (69 per cent) of those displaced are originally from Khartoum. In addition, over 1 million people have crossed into neighbouring countries as of 13 September, including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

On 12 September, the Commissioner-General for Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) Najm Ad-Dein Musa Abdel Karim issued an Administrative Decree that extended up to 31 March 2024, the registration of national and international NGOs, which had expired and could not be renewed due to the critical security conditions in the country, provided the organizations implement their activities and programmes by the national legislation governing humanitarian action. The decision aims to facilitate humanitarian organizations' work and enable them to deliver humanitarian assistance to the affected people, HAC said.

More than 50 humanitarian and human rights organizations are urging more assistance, protection, solidarity, and attention to the Sudan crisis. In a joint statement issued last week, the organizations said Sudan is no longer at the precipice of mass atrocities – it has fallen over the edge. The UN-led humanitarian appeal remains woefully underfunded – at about 31 per cent of what is needed – and Sudan’s warring parties continue to undermine efforts to deliver aid safely. Donors should step up humanitarian funding for local and international organizations that are providing vital assistance in Sudan and neighbouring countries. The costs of inaction are mounting, the organizations said.

On 15 September, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that they facilitated the release and transportation of 30 minors fighting within the RSF ranks and being detained by the SAF. The ICRC organised the safe transportation of the children by road from Khartoum to Wad Madani (Aj Jazirah State). The Ministry of Social Development will take custody of the children and the ICRC will help re-establish contact with their families.

The Health Cluster has reported that the number of suspected measles cases across Sudan has increased by more than 1,000 new cases, compared to the 3,311 cases reported last week and reached 4,334 cases since April. This includes 127 deaths (40 more than those reported last week), representing a case fatality rate of 2.9 per cent. White Nile State accounts for 98 deaths—77 per cent of measles-related deaths.

Between 15 May and 12 September, 1,222 refugee children under five died in White Nile State, UNHCR reported in its latest Sudan Health and Nutrition Update. Most of the deaths were linked to suspected measles and underlying malnutrition. This is a more than a 120-fold increase on a year-on-year basis. From April to September 2022, there were 10 deaths of refugee children under the age of five in 10 refugee camps/settlements in White Nile State, according to UNHCR. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Plan International, Save the Children and UNHCR have supported the State Ministry of Health in Whtie Nile to carry out a measles vaccination campaign. About 6,400 children were reached during the first round of the campaign in July, and about 45,500 children under five years (107 per cent of the target) were vaccinated during the second round in August that targeted refugee camps in the state.

Since July, heavy rains and flooding have affected 72,400 people, with 5,823 homes destroyed and another 6,664 homes damaged across 16 localities in seven states (Northern, River Nile, North Darfur, Gedaref, White Nile, North Kordofan, and South Kordofan), according to the 2023 Sudan Floods Dashboard. The most affected states are Northern, River Nile, and North Darfur.