“The war in Sudan must not become a forgotten crisis”, and yet…
The imperative used by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, last February is a reminder of the need not to look away from what could be one of the worst crises in recent history[1].
A consultation in a Sudanese Refugee camp in Chad, March 2024 – © Joris Bolomey for Première Urgence Internationale
On 15 April 2024, France is hosting a humanitarian conference for Sudan and neighbouring countries. On this occasion, Première Urgence Internationale reiterates its message to political decision-makers to honour their commitment and do everything possible to avoid a catastrophe.
Twelve months after the start of the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the fighting has not stopped and continues to cause massive population displacement. If we combine the figures before and after the outbreak of the war, Sudan is now the country with the highest number of population displacements in the world, with almost 9 million people having been driven from their homes[2].
To deal with the crisis, $2.57 billion in humanitarian aid was needed in 2023 to cover Sudan’s needs. One year on,
the assessment shows that only 49.5% of the financial commitments made by governments have been met.
The spectre of hunger
And yet, the estimated number of people dependent on humanitarian aid has risen from 15.8 million in December 2022 to 24.7 million in February 2024[3]. The amount needed to cover needs is estimated at 2.7 billion dollars in 2024. Sudan is also on the brink of the world’s worst food crisis[4]. It is estimated that 18 million people – more than a third of the total population – are already facing famine, reaching the highest number ever recorded in Sudan during the harvest season. 4.86 million people will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024, 75% of whom will be children under five and 25% pregnant and breastfeeding women[5].
Two million people have fled Sudan to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Most of them have entered Chad, where an estimated 570,000 refugees and returnees have arrived since the start of the war. They are mainly concentrated in camps in the Ouaddaï region in the east of the country. This wave of arrivals is putting a strain on Chad’s already limited resources, especially considering that the country is one of the poorest in the world. Urgent needs include water, food, shelter, health and basic necessities.
In 2024, the humanitarian response plan for Chad requires $1.2 billion to help 5.8 million people until the end of this year.
[1] According to a United Nations report dated 25 mars 2024
[2] OIM, Mars 2024
[3] OCHA, Mars 2024
[4] PAM, Mars 2024
[5] IPC Analysis , Mars 2024
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