Aid Cuts and Withdrawals Leave Sudan’s Vulnerable Facing Famine Alone | Sudan Conflict News

Sudan is facing an escalating humanitarian crisis as relief organizations providing essential aid are forced to withdraw.

In recent days, the suspension of United States humanitarian assistance to Sudan has reportedly led to the closure of up to 80 percent of the country’s emergency food kitchens. Meanwhile, the significant reduction in operations by the medical NGO Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, has left some of the most severely affected areas without emergency medical care as violence continues to escalate.

Sudan’s conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been ongoing since April 2023. Over the course of the war, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, many more injured, and an estimated 12 million people displaced.

According to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), famine has already taken hold in more than 10 areas, with 17 additional regions reported to be on the brink of famine.

Despite the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, there appears to be no end to the fighting. The Sudanese army is currently advancing in the capital, Khartoum, while the RSF has announced the formation of a rival government.

USAID Freeze

US President Donald Trump’s executive order to impose a 90-day freeze on USAID payments has come at a time of extreme instability for Sudan, where its aid programs were a lifeline for millions in need.

The BBC reported that 1,100 communal kitchens had been shut down due to the suspension of US foreign aid. A volunteer at one of the closed kitchens stated that desperate individuals had resorted to “knocking on volunteers’ doors” seeking help.

In response to the impact of its decision, the US Department of State claimed to have issued waivers for “life-saving” food and humanitarian assistance programs. However, these waivers do not appear to have resulted in the resumption of aid to Sudan and many other countries. Reuters reported on Friday that only $100 million in exemptions had been approved for USAID programs, compared to the approximately $40 billion the agency previously spent annually.

In fact, Reuters reported that most of the $5.3 billion in foreign aid released under the waivers was allocated for arms sales, military assistance, and anti-drug smuggling efforts, according to a review of the exemption list.

The WFP stated that it has received 13 waivers for Sudan-related grants but remains uncertain about future funding.

Hunger Crisis

The WFP has warned that Sudan risks becoming the “world’s largest hunger crisis in recent history.” The brutal civil war has devastated livelihoods, infrastructure, trade routes, and supply chains across the country. Famine, first confirmed in North Darfur’s Zamzam camp in August, has since spread, with an estimated 24.6 million people now facing acute hunger, according to the UN.

The situation in North Darfur is particularly dire, as its largest city, el-Fasher, has been under siege by the RSF for months. The RSF has escalated its offensives in recent weeks, including attacking Zamzam camp, where approximately half a million people have sought shelter after being displaced by the conflict.

The intensifying violence has forced MSF to withdraw from Zamzam. “Halting our project in the midst of a worsening disaster in Zamzam is a heartbreaking decision,” said Yahya Kalilah, MSF’s Sudan country director.

“The sheer proximity of the violence, great difficulties in sending supplies, the impossibility to send experienced staff for adequate support, and uncertainty regarding routes out of the camp for our colleagues and civilians leave us with little choice.”

RSF Government

Despite the humanitarian crisis, much of it caused by the RSF, the group proceeded with a ceremony in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to mark its intention to establish a rival Sudanese government.

The new government is not expected to receive widespread international recognition. However, as the RSF loses ground elsewhere, the move appears to be an effort to maintain control over the western region of Darfur.

The army-aligned government has refused to recognize its newly formed rival. Foreign Minister Ali Youssef stated on Sunday that it “will not accept any other country recognizing a so-called parallel government.”

Responding to the news and its potential to deepen divisions within Sudan, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the need for a unified Sudan, telling reporters that the new government would “increase the fragmentation of the country and risk making this crisis even worse.”