A senior UN official has urgently voiced concerns over the escalating humanitarian emergency in Sudan, where an ongoing civil war has plunged nearly two-thirds of the country's population into acute distress. During a recent press briefing in New York, Edem Wosornu, the director of operations and advocacy for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), highlighted the severe conditions faced by approximately 30 million people.

Wosornu, fresh from a trip to Sudan and neighboring Chad, where about 850,000 Sudanese have fled, shared distressing observations from the conflict zones. She particularly noted the situation in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which has been under siege for over 500 days. The city is battling a dual crisis of conflict and a cholera outbreak, affecting everyone indiscriminately, regardless of their involvement in the conflict.

The dire food security situation was underscored by Wosornu's report of 70 aid trucks, loaded with supplies from the World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), that are currently stalled in South Darfur, unable to reach El Fasher. She revealed that around 680,000 individuals faced extreme famine conditions during the recent lean season.

The capital city of Khartoum has also seen a reduction in active fighting but remains a "ghost town," with visible signs of trauma and streets littered with remnants of war, according to Wosornu. She emphasized the palpable sense of trauma pervading the city, highlighting the urgent need for continued humanitarian aid and eventual recovery support.

The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) along with their allied militias, has been one of the worst global humanitarian crises, leading to widespread displacement, famine, and violence, including rampant sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, as reported by Amnesty International.

In light of recent assaults on El Fasher, UN officials have expressed deep alarm over the worsening situation, compounded by a cholera outbreak that has already resulted in over 1,350 deaths. The UN has repeatedly called for increased global support and unhindered access for aid organizations to address the immense humanitarian needs and to facilitate recovery once the conflict subsides.

The call to action by the UN emphasizes not only the immediate need for humanitarian aid but also the critical long-term support necessary to rebuild Sudan and assist its people in recovering from the prolonged impacts of war.