One year after war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023, Sudan is facing one of the fastest unfolding crises globally, with unprecedented needs. About 25 million people – of whom over 14 million are children – need humanitarian assistance and support. Alarmingly 17.7 million people – more than one-third of the country’s population – are facing acute food insecurity (IPC3+) under a warning of potential famine issued by FEWS NET and underwritten by the Global IPC Group. Of these, 4.9 million people are on the brink of famine. More than 8.6 million people – about 16 per cent of the total population of the country – have fled their homes since the conflict started. They have sought refuge within Sudan or in neighbouring countries, making Sudan the largest displacement crisis in the world.
About 17.7 million people face acute hunger, 4.9 million in emergency levels Devastating conflict and organized violence, coupled with the continued economic decline, have driven about 17.7 million people – more than one-third of the country’s population – into acute food insecurity (IPC3+) under a warning of potential famine issued by FEWS NET and underwritten by the Global IPC Group. Of these, 4.9 million people are on the brink of famine. Currently, only one in ten people in emergency levels of hunger are in areas where they can receive assistance due to access constraints and ongoing fighting. The expansion of fighting in December 2023 between the SAF and the RSF into parts of central and eastern Sudan—the country’s most important regions for crop production—was one of the factors behind the significant increase in humanitarian needs during the harvesting season (December and January) worsening an already dire food security situation, according to the FEWS NET.
More than 6.6 million people displaced within Sudan and 1.8 million fled the country More than 8.6 million people have been displaced by fighting within Sudan and neighbouring countries. Over 6.6 million of them have been displaced and are sheltering mainly with host communities in 7,076 locations across Sudan’s 18 states, according to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM). Out of the 2 million that fled the country about 1.8 million people have sought refuge in the neighbouring countries of Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan as of 31 March, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). With close to 4 million children displaced, Sudan is facing the largest child displacement crisis in the world.
The internally displaced people (IDPs) are originally from 12 states, with the majority - about 3.6 million people (54 per cent of all IDPs postApril) - from Khartoum. Most sought refuge in South Darfur followed by River Nile, East Darfur, North Darfur, White Nile, Sennar, Gedaref, Central Darfur, Northern, Aj Jazirah – most of which saw high levels of violence recently – and other states. As the conflict spread into Aj Jazirah in December, more than half a million people had to flee in a month, many for a second time having previously been displaced from Khartoum.
Over 11,000 suspected cholera cases, other disease outbreaks Disease outbreaks are increasing in the face of disruptions of basic public health services, including disease surveillance, functions of public health laboratories and rapid response teams. In addition, insecurity, displacement, limited access to medicines, medical supplies, electricity, and water continue to pose enormous challenges to delivering health care across the country. About 65 per cent of the population lack access to healthcare and between 70 - 80 per cent of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are no longer functional. Over 11,000 suspected cases of cholera, including 305 deaths, have been reported from 11 states as of 8 April, according to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Other disease outbreaks are ongoing in several states, including measles (4,000 cases with 106 deaths), malaria, and dengue fever.
Over 700,000 children expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition Nearly 5 million children had been forcibly displaced in Sudan by the end of 2023, including 2 million children displaced in previous crises, making it the world’s largest internal displacement crisis for children. Nearly 14 million – half the country’s children – now require humanitarian assistance, and around 900,000 children have sought refuge in neighbouring countries since the start of the war.
Thousands of children have been killed or injured, and countless more exposed to grave protection risks including sexual violence and recruitment or use in the conflict. At least 3.5 million children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, including over 700,000 who are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition and require specialized, uninterrupted life-saving treatment. With most schools shuttered or struggling to re-open across the country, a staggering 19 million school-aged children risk losing out on their education, with grave implications for their future prospects, for Sudan, and beyond.
Livelihoods decimated, economy to shrink by 18.3 per cent in 2024 The conflict is devastating the livelihoods of millions of people in Sudan. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that Sudan’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is likely to reduce by 18.3 per cent in 2024. According to the World Bank, the economy contracted by 12 per cent in 2023 as the conflict has halted production and destroyed human capital and state capacity. Moreover, the armed conflict has damaged the country’s industrial base, education, and health facilities. It has also led to a collapse in economic activity — including commerce, financial, and information and communications technology services — and the erosion of state capacity, with detrimental impacts on food security and forced displacement. For comparison, the economies of Yemen and Syria have shrunk by about 50 per cent over the past decade, or about 5 per cent per year on average. The pace of economic contraction in Sudan is on pace to more than double that decline.
About 8.1 million people have received lifesaving assistance since April Despite various challenges - insecurity, looting, high levels of bureaucratic impediments, poor network and phone connectivity problems, lack of cash, and few technical and humanitarian staff on the ground – affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance in many parts of the country, humanitarian organizations reached about 8.1 million people with multi-cluster life-saving assistance and 5.7 million people with agriculture and livelihood support between 15 April and 31 December 2023. Mutual support and locally led aid efforts by volunteers have been instrumental in supporting people, particularly for those trapped in conflict or hard to reach areas. Prior to the conflict, 2.7 million people were reached with some form of humanitarian assistance from January to March 2023. This includes vital education, health, food, nutrition, water assistance and protection services.
More funding needed to reach more people The 2024 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) is seeking US$2.7 billion from donors to provide life-saving multi-cluster and protection assistance to 14.7 million people in desperate need through the end of 2024. According to the Financial Tracking Service, the 2024 HNRP was only 5.8 per cent funded, with $155 million received as of 14 April 2024. In 2024, the 167 UN and NGO partners in Sudan can provide more people with assistance and services if the funding for humanitarian response is expanded with an emphasis on funding early in the year.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.