Sudan at risk of famine without increased support, UN special envoy warns
The US special envoy, Tom Perriello, has issued a warning that Sudan is at risk of facing a famine if it does not receive more international support and attention.
Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Perriello highlighted the alarming rates of food insecurity and malnutrition in the country, emphasising that the default trajectory is towards famine if the situation does not improve.
The potential battle over the key city of El Fasher is adding to the situation's urgency. The looming threat of violence in the city could hamper efforts to deliver much-needed aid to the region.
“Driven by the conflict, the destruction of harvest, food shortages and the block of aid, nearly 80 million people now face food insecurity,” Perriello was quoted by the National News as saying.
El Fasher has historically been a hub for aid groups operating in Sudan's western region and plays a crucial role in transporting supplies from neighbouring Chad or Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
The ongoing civil war in Sudan has further compounded the humanitarian crisis, leading to the displacement of over 10 million people. Perriello expressed dismay at the lack of international attention to the devastating conflict, highlighting the dire need for support and assistance in the region.
Senator Cory Booker, who recently visited Sudan with Perriello, criticised the lack of media coverage and attention given to the crisis, calling it a "poverty of empathy" towards the people of Sudan.
“When you see press story after press story about so many other areas in the world but a lack of [coverage] for this crisis, its enormity, the millions of lives affected, you see a poverty of attention … what we're seeing towards the people of Sudan is a poverty of empathy,” Mr Booker was quoted by the National News as saying.
In response to the escalating crisis, US Congress passed a foreign aid supplemental funding bill aimed at providing immediate relief to Sudan. Perriello noted that the funding has already had an impact on the ground, emphasising the importance of continued support in saving lives in the region.
