Between 2 and 2.5 million more people could suffer from acute malnutrition in Sudan, bringing the total to at least 19 million within six months if the conflict continues, a UN spokesperson announced on Friday (May 5). . While the fighting is still raging this Saturday, May 6 in Khartoum, the capital of the country, the army and the paramilitaries in struggle for power in Sudan must discuss in Saudi Arabia a new truce.
“The World Food Program (WFP) predicts that the number of acutely food insecure people will increase between 2 and 2.5 million, increasing the total number to 19 million in the next three to six months if the conflict continues”said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary General.
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According to the WFP report, at the beginning of 2023, 16.8 million Sudanese – out of some 50 million inhabitants – suffered from severe food insecurity, already a million more than a year earlier. “In May 2023, taking into account the ongoing conflict (…), we can conservatively estimate that the number of severely food insecure people will increase to at least 19 million (nearly 40% of the population) in the three at six months”.
14.8 million households cannot afford the basic “food basket”
The regions expected to be most affected, with more than half of their population affected, are West Darfur, West Kordofan, Blue Nile, Red Sea and North Darfur states.
Clashes, evacuation of French nationals… What we know about the situation in Sudan
The report states that in March 2023, 14.8 million households could not afford to buy the “food basket” staple which includes products such as sorghum, wheat flour or groundnuts. “This is already an alarming statistic”comments the WFP.
But if the conflict continues, the price of this basket should increase by 25% within three to six months, and 18 million households will no longer be able to afford it.
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“Pre-negotiation discussions”
Despite the critical humanitarian situation, several ceasefire announcements and two truces, the inhabitants of the capital woke up, like every day since April 15, to the din of bombardments.
Ironically, witnesses report to AFP that General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane’s army is carrying out air raids on the district of Riyadh – which takes its name from the Saudi capital – a few hours before the start in Jeddah, another Saudi town, of negotiations between its representatives and those of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of rival general Mohamed Hamdane Daglo. Fighting is taking place elsewhere in the capital, they add.
“The Middle East is experiencing a turnaround”
The United States and Saudi Arabia, which now seem to be maneuvering diplomatically, have spoken of “pre-negotiation discussions”urging the belligerents to “to be actively involved” to achieve a ceasefire.
The two camps have been repeating for days that their emissaries will only discuss “details of the truce” several times renewed but never respected. No political component is planned in the immediate future.
