SITUATION OVERVIEW

Sudan is experiencing a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. By all measures – the scale of escalating needs, the numbers of people displaced and facing potential famine – Sudan is one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent memory leading to 13 per cent of the global internally displaced persons load –1 in every 8 internally displaced person worldwide.

On 29 March 2024, an IPC alert for Sudan was released outlining the dramatic situation of food insecurity in the country. Alarmingly 17.7 million people – more than one-third of the country’s population – are facing acute food insecurity (IPC3+) under a warning of potential famine issued by FEWS NET and underwritten by the Global IPC Group. Of these, 4.9 million people are on the brink of famine. Nearly 9 out of 10 people in IPC4 are in conflict-affected areas in Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Aj Jazirah. With the onset of the lean season from April onwards, food insecurity is expected to further worsen. Khartoum and Aj Jazirah states, as well as greater Darfur and greater Kordofan, could face catastrophic outcomes in case of further intensification of the conflict, resulting on sustained displacement, and limited to no humanitarian access to to the population in need. Of highest concern are North Darfur and Khartoum states, including Omdurman locality, as well as areas in greater Darfur hosting IDPs in overcrowded camps.

On 12 April, humanitarian partners issued the Sudan Famine Prevention Plan 2024 to mitigate the food security crisis. Through the plan, 7.6 million people in 167 priority localities across the country will be provided live-saving assistance over a period of six months. A minimum of US $400 million is required immediately to be able to preposition supplies and respond before the start of the rainy season.

As food insecurity increases the nutrition situation continues to deteriorate. A staggering 4.9 million children under five years and pregnant and nursing women are estimated to be acutely malnourished in 2024 and need urgent lifesaving assistance. This is a 22 per cent increase compared to 2023. Out of the 4.9 million, about 730,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition.

Paris Conference, 15 April 2024

On 15 April 2024 - one year after the start of the conflict - an international humanitarian conference was held in Paris, France; bringing together ministers and representatives of 58 states, regional organizations, United Nations, International NGOs, International Organizations, and donors to talk about the situation in Sudan and ensure the crisis is not forgotten. International donors announced they would provide more than US$2 billion, including nearly €900 million from the European Union and its Member States, to support civilian populations in Sudan and those who sought refuge in neighbouring countries in 2024.

Over 8.7 million displaced since mid-April 2023

More people have fled conflict in the past year in Sudan than anywhere else in the world following the eruption of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023. More than 8.7 million people have fled their homes, including 4.6 million children. An estimated 6.7 million people have been forcibly displaced within the country and have taken refuge in 7,143 locations, according to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM), Sudan Weekly Displacement Snapshot 28. The highest proportion of IDPs are in South Darfur (11 per cent), River Nile (10 per cent), and East Darfur (10 per cent) states.

IOM DTM field teams report that the IDPs were originally displaced from 12 states. About 53 per cent of them, 3.6 million, were displaced from Khartoum State, followed by South Darfur (15 per cent), Aj Jazirah (10 per cent), North Darfur (9 per cent), Central Darfur (4 per cent), West Darfur (4 per cent), and other states. More than 2 million people fled across the border, including 1.8 million who fled to neighbouring countries (651,000 people to South Sudan, 579,000 people to Chad, and 500,000 people to Egypt), according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

Since 15 April, ACLED has recorded 15,550 reported fatalities in Sudan. ACLED recorded over 1,400 violent events targeting civilians across the country since the war began. Civilians in Khartoum state faced the most targeted violence, with more than 650 incidents and at least 1,470 reported fatalities.

Declining health system and increasing disease outbreaks

The national health system is barely functional and essentially defunct in some states, with serious challenges in providing medical supplies and fuel to hospitals and primary healthcare centres (PHCs). The childhood immunization programme is breaking down and infectious diseases are spreading with over 11,000 suspected cases of cholera, over 4,660 cases of measles, over 8,300 suspected cases of dengue, and almost 1.3 million cases of malaria reported across the country. The lack or inadequate level of basic social services, like water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) has exacerbated the health emergency and disease outbreaks.

About 5,000 cases of measles, including 106 deaths, with a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 2.27 per cent, were reported as of 15 March 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported. This however only represents data from accessible areas and likely hides a much larger problem in hard-to-reach areas. There have also been outbreaks of measles in areas hosting large numbers of displaced children. The risk of measles outbreaks will be particularly high for mobile populations including IDPs, refugees, and others in camp settings. The risk of all vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) outbreaks has been at its highest since the conflict broke out. The national routine immunization coverage for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT3) had significantly decreased, while the Darfur region has reported only 30 per cent DPT3 coverage. A new emergence of circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported from an environmental surveillance site in Port Sudan, reports UNICEF. While no paralysis in children due to the Polio virus has been reported yet, the probability of transmission among children is very high.

Despite an overall declining trend, cholera cases continue to rise with six states reporting active cases (Gedaref, Kassala, Sennar, Red Sea, River Nile and White Nile), bringing the total number of cases to over 11,000 cases and 350 associated deaths since the outbreak began in July 2023, according to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Sudan Outbreaks Dashboard. The actual number of cases are likely higher due to under-reporting because of a significant network disruption in February.

Fighting escalates in Al Fasher with over 36,000 people forced to flee their homes

As fighting between SAF and RSF escalates in North Darfur, over 36,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Al Fasher locality. The escalation started on 13 April 2024 when an armed group reportedly launched an attack on Birka, Sarafaya, Hillat Khamis, Jakho I, and Jartouna villages of Al Fasher locality, reports IOM DTM. This attack led to the displacement of over 34,000 people (6,870 families) to locations across Al Fasher locality. There have been reports of civilian deaths and injuries due to the violence. In addition, clashes erupted between SAF and RSF in Al Fasher town between 14-16 April leading to the displacement of about 2,000 people (390 families) across the locality. Overall, about 592,000 people have been displaced from North Darfur since 15 April 2023, representing nearly 10 per cent of the total displaced population in Sudan. Of all the people displaced from North Darfur, approximately 210,000 people were from Al Fasher locality. Al Fasher locality currently hosts an estimated 187,000 internally displaced people.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Despite challenges facing humanitarian operations, humanitarians continue to deliver humanitarian assistance and provide services to vulnerable people across the country.

Since 1 January 2024, 77 humanitarian partners reached more than 2.3 million people across Sudan with life-saving assistance, according to the Sudan Humanitarian Response Dashboard February 2024. This includes an estimated 1.3 million people who received food supplies and about 757,000 people who were reached with water, sanitation and hygiene services. In addition, about 389,000 people benefitted from health care, and about 154,000 people received emergency shelter and non-food items.

On 5 April the World Food Programme (WFP) announced the delivery of food and nutrition supplies into the Darfur region for the first time in months. Two convoys crossed the border from Chad into Darfur in late March, carrying food and nutrition assistance for around 250,000 people facing acute hunger in North, West and Central Darfur. These are the first cross-border convoys of WFP assistance to reach Darfur following lengthy negotiations to reopen these routes after the authorities in Port Sudan revoked permissions for humanitarian corridors from Chad in February. The temporary halt of the humanitarian corridor from Chad as well as ongoing fighting, lengthy clearance processes for humanitarian cargo, bureaucratic impediments, and security threats have made it impossible for humanitarians to operate at the scale needed to meet the hunger needs in Sudan.

The 37 trucks—carrying 1,300 metric tons (MT) of supplies—crossed into West Darfur from Adre in Chad and food distributions are underway in West and Central Darfur. However, there is no clarity as to when the next aid convoy can travel via this route, which is vital if the humanitarian community stands a chance of preventing widespread starvation in West Darfur. Last year, WFP supported 1 million people in West and Central Darfur with food transported via Chad's Adre crossing. Another 16 trucks—with around 580 MT of supplies—entered North Darfur from Chad's Tina border crossing on 23 March, while six trucks with 260 MT of food reached the area from Port Sudan a few days later. This was the first aid delivery to be transported across conflict lines in six months. Yet, fierce fighting, lack of security, and lengthy clearances by the warring parties have led to delays in the distribution of this assistance to people in need.

Health partners provide 850,000 consultations and medicines for 781,000 people during Q1 2024

Despite the declining health system, humanitarian partners continue to deliver health services to people they can reach. During the first quarter of 2024, 23 health sector partner organizations provided about 850,000 outpatient consultations (OPD) in all 17 states of Sudan, and medicines for about 781,000 people in 14 states. In addition, some partners supported 50 mobile clinics and seven ambulances mainly in Blue Nile, East Darfur, Gedaref, North Darfur, Sennar, South Darfur, South Kordofan and White Nile states. Since 15 April 2023, about 3.8 million IDPs have sought shelter and basic services in these eight states, which accounts for about 57 per cent of all IDPs since mid-April 2023. In addition, health partners assisted 34,842 deliveries, including support for 9,097 c-sections followed by 25,745 postnatal care sessions. In 2024, 45 health partners are targeting 4.9 million people across the country – 33 per cent of the total people in need - with essential life-saving health assistance.

IN FOCUS: Response in Blue Nile State

From 5 to 18 April, the international NGO ADRA distributed multi-purpose cash assistance to 130 displaced households from Aj Jazirah and Khartoum taking refuge in Blue Nile State. So far, ADRA has reached 2,051 out of the 2,500 IDP households targeted for multipurpose cash assistance in the state.

The INGO Relief International (RI) has provided medical consultations for 1,117 patients and reproductive health services to 102 women at six primary healthcare centres in the state. In addition, 719 IDPs from Aj Jazirah State received medical consultations, and 23 women received reproductive health services through nine mobile clinics in Ed Damazine.

UNFPA supported the Combating Violence Against Women Unit (CVAW) in conducting awareness campaigns in Raih Balak and Abramad areas in Ed Damazine locality. The campaigns lasted for five days and targeted 220 males and 242 females from the IDP and host communities. Discussions on gender-based violence (GBV) issues and activities such as drama art were carried out to raise GBV awareness. UNFPA supported two confidential corners at the Ed Damazine and Ar Rusayris hospitals and provided GBV services for 22 cases. In addition, UNFPA also continued supporting four women's centres in Ed Damazine and Ar Rusayris localities, providing referral services to the confidential corners and supporting income-generating activities.

UNHCR continued distributing clothes to refugees in Camp 6. So far, 400 families were assisted.

WFP is carrying out general food distributions targeting 11,660 refugees in Camp 6 in Wad Al Mahi locality with half rations for three months. The distribution will be completed next week. As of 9 April, WFP finalized food distributions (half ration for three months) to 2,158 IDPs from Aj Jazirah staying in schools in Ed Damazine and Ar Rusayris localities and to 7,884 IDPs affected by inter-communal conflict in Ed Damazine locality.

HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

Various challenges - insecurity, looting, bureaucratic impediments, poor network and phone connectivity, lack of cash, and limited technical and humanitarian staff on the ground – have been affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance in many parts of the country. Fuel shortages also affect the movement of humanitarian staff and supplies and the generation of power needed for operations (maintaining cold chain storage, supplying water, etc). Despite all these challenges, humanitarian partners continue to provide life-saving assistance to the vulnerable people they can reach. The conflict – particularly in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan – has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation. On 1 April, the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) issued a decree extending the validity date of the registration certificates for national and international NGOs from 1 April 2024 to 31 May 2024. All national and international NGOs shall regularize their status during this period to conclude the registration procedures, which will officially begin on 1 June 2024. According to the HAC, the move is to ensure that the NGOs continue providing their services and deliver humanitarian assistance to people affected by the conflict.

Humanitarian organizations continue to move relief supplies across lines of conflict and borders when possible, bringing emergency food, medical, shelter, WASH and other supplies for most vulnerable people affected by the conflict.

In March and April, trucks moved supplies from Port Sudan to Darfur through cross-line movement. This includes 11 trucks (5 UNICEF and 6 WFP) carrying 455 metric tons (MT) of supplies to Al Fasher. Currently, there are 13 trucks (8 UNICEF and 5 UNHCR) en route to Al Fasher that are stranded in Ad Dabbah due to insecurity and lack of commitment. An Additional six trucks carrying 110 MT of supplies to Kadugli are stranded in Kosti due to active violence and insecurity along Abu Jubayhah route.

Since December 2023, no crossline delivery has been made via the Kosti - El Obeid crossline route due to active violence, insecurity, and lack of travel permits.

Cross-border movement through the Tına crossing:

• 14 trucks carrying 700 MT of supplies reached Al Fasher.

• 4 trucks carrying 104 MT of supplies are stranded at the Tina border crossing point due to new inspection requirements from authorities in North Darfur.

• The movement of 21 trucks carrying 1,025 MT of supplies to South Darfur (8 trucks) and Central Darfur (13 trucks) has been postponed due to insecurity in Al Fasher and new inspection requirements which demand additional inspection in Al Fasher town. The trucks go through intensive inspection at the Tina border crossing. However, authorities in North Darfur require additional inspection in Al Fasher before the trucks depart to the final destinations. The new requirement has created security risks and logistical constraints due to the security situation in Al Fasher.

As per the Note Verbal issued by the Government of Sudan in March 2024 to use Adre as a temporary cross-border route, humanitarians have delivered 60 trucks, including the 13 trucks of food and nutrition supplies, to West Darfur, Central Darfur, South Darfur and East Darfur in April.

HUMANITARIAN FUNDING OVERVIEW

The 2024 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) requires $2.7 billion to provide life-saving multi-cluster and protection assistance to 14.7 million people across Sudan. As of 25 April 2024, the appeal is 10.3 per cent funded, with $276.9 million received, according to the Financial Tracking Service.

For the PDF version: Sudan Humanitarian Update, 25 April 2024

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) results for Sudan delivered in late 2023 depicted a dire picture of increasing food insecurity and malnutrition across Sudan, particularly in areas hit by conflict and access constraints. Those concerns have been confirmed in various reports since the release of the December 2023 IPC, including the FAO Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM), which reported significant decreases in cereal production compared to 2022, the WFP Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment (CFSVA) and the release by FEWSNet of its Food Security Outlook from March - September 2024 that includes a famine warning for some areas of the country hardest hit by conflict. Given the current conflict dynamics, the situation is expected to worsen in the coming months, which would potentially lead to a more formal “famine likely” warning based on expedited IPC results.

On 29 March 2024, an IPC alert for Sudan was released outlining the dramatic situation of food insecurity in country: “This [alert] has been developed based on the review of the latest evidence available and issued to express major concern regarding the deteriorating situation; and advocate for stakeholders to act immediately to prevent famine.” (IPC). IPC outlined that since the IPC results released in December 2023, “there has been a significant escalation of the conflict among armed factions and a rise in organized violence beyond the initial IPC assumptions made in previous analyses” (IPC March 2024). As the IPC alert published in March 2024 states: “Catastrophe (IPC 5) is expected among households in parts of West Darfur, Khartoum, and among the displaced population more broadly, particularly in hard-to-reach areas of Greater Darfur.” Immediate actions are key to “prevent widespread death and total collapse of livelihoods and avert a catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan”. (IPC Alert, March 2024).

As a mitigation measure, this famine prevention operational plan responds to the strategic direction outlined by the HCT. It is a prioritization of the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan and seeks to build on existing and previous physical presence and recent efforts to align the coordination with realities on the ground. The approach is based on experience in other successful famine prevention operations adapted to the Sudan context. This plan is predicated on integrated responses led by Food Security, Nutrition, Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) clusters with important contributions by other clusters, all of which is underpinned by an emphasis on the Centrality of Protection guided by the Protection Cluster and emphasizes the importance of mainstreaming crosscutting themes such as accountability to affected populations (AAP), protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) and gender-based violence (GBV) into the strategy.

For the full document click here: Sudan: Famine Prevention Plan 2024

Sudan, Kassala. Like many families, Nahid and her children fled the fighting and are now sheltering in a school, along with hundreds of other people.

“Three of my five kids became very sick after the long and hard journey fleeing the fighting in Aj Jazirah. When we arrived here in this school in Kassala, they were coughing badly and had a high fever. I had no money to take them to the doctor and I did not know what to do,” said Nahid, a 35-year-old mother.

Another woman sheltering at the same school advised her to take the children to a nearby clinic, supported by CARE International.

“At the clinic in Halanaga neighbourhood, a doctor examined my kids and advised me to do some tests. My children were given medication after that and I am grateful that it was all free,” explained Nahid.

The clinic here is receiving new medical equipment, drugs and supplies as part of a Care International project funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund.

They are providing displaced people and host communities with life-saving health services – including nutrition, immunization, and family planning – through four health facilities, two each in Kassala and New Halfa.

“The new wave of displacement into Kassala from Gezira state has put an additional burden on the already overstretched health services here, and the number of patients we serve at the CARE Sudan-supported health clinics has doubled. The humanitarian needs are unprecedented, and we urgently need more resources to expand our services and reach more people,” Ahmed, who works with CARE, explained.

Osman, a 65-year-old man from Aj Jazirah pointed out that the facility is clean and he was pleased with the health services he had been offered. “I have been diabetic for years and while travelling along the unpaved road to Kassala I felt very unwell. I was not able to visit the doctor as I had no money. But when I arrived in Kassala, my brother took me to this clinic in Halanaga and was treated for free,” he said.

***

Adapted from OCHA Sudan’s original story. For more information: visit the Sudan Humanitarian Fund and find real-time contribution and allocation data on the POOLED FUNDS DATA HUB.

Sudan, Blue Nile. Noureldin contracted polio when he was younger. His father, Elnour, explained, “We didn’t know much about his condition, and we were also struggling economically, so we weren’t able to properly attend to it. Unfortunately, as a result, Noureldin is living with a physical disability.”

Noureldin cannot walk and can use only one arm. “When I was younger, my mother used to help me. But now that I’m grown up, she is not able to do that anymore.”

Elnour, Noureldin, and the rest of their family had to flee fighting in Khartoum and went to try to find safety in Ed Damazine, the capital of Blue Nile. Like many vulnerable displaced people across Sudan, Elnour is struggling to provide for his family. He is a daily-wage earner, so he couldn’t afford to buy Noureldin a wheelchair.

“I would barely leave the house,” says Noureldin. “It was too difficult to crawl on the rocky and muddy ground, and I preferred to stay at home. One day I fell and hurt my ear and the left side of my face,” he adds, showing the scar on his face and head.

A Sudan Humanitarian Fund-supported project, implemented with Save the Children, AlSalam Organization for Rehabilitation, and the Child Development Fund aims to reach children with disability who have been affected by the fighting.

As part of the project, a Community-Based Child Protection Network is reaching out to support families with children living with disability.

“[One of our community leaders] came to our house to ask after Noureldin,” says Elnour. After that, they received a wheelchair for Noureldin, as well as some food and household items to help the rest of the family.

“It changed everything for me and my family. Now I can finally go outside and enjoy time with my friends,” he said, adding that he goes to the nearby child-friendly space supported by Save the Children and plays with his peers.

“I come here with my brothers, and we play with other children. It’s great!” Noureldin said.

Meanwhile, Elnour hopes that his family will not be displaced again: “Millions of people are currently fleeing from conflict in Khartoum, Darfur, and other states. Until now, our area has been relatively safe. We pray every day that it remains calm and that the rest of Sudan can return to peace.”

***

Adapted from OCHA Sudan’s original story.

For more information: visit the Sudan Humanitarian Fund and find real-time contribution and allocation data on the POOLED FUNDS DATA HUB.

Sudan, El Fasher, Port Sudan and elsewhere. In El Fasher, Omnya, aged 12, attended an activity session for kids to learn about safe water and sanitation. She learned valuable information, but the trauma of the war was never far from her mind.

She and her family are taking shelter in a school here, alongside 700 other people. “I want the fighting to stop, I want to play,” she said.

Since war broke out in April 2023, 8.1 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan, and nearly 25 million people – more than half of them children- need humanitarian assistance.

As people shelter in schools and transit stations, drinking water and sanitation facilities become overwhelmed, posing a health risk for children and their families. Suspected cholera cases continue to rise, surpassing 10,000 in February 2024.

OCHA’s pooled funds are helping humanitarians to respond.

With the help of CERF and other donors, UNICEF has provided thousands of displaced people in El Fasher with access to safe drinking water and sanitation services, including families like Omnya’s.

Emergency water and hygiene services at stations and border crossings

At the Suk Shabi bus station in Kassala, displaced people from all over Sudan gather as they try to move on. Many must wait at the bus station for days or weeks as they plan their next moves. Hygiene rapidly deteriorates and there’s an urgent need for better sanitation and clean water.

Here, with funding from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, LM International constructed a new block of latrines to serve the waiting travellers.

Over 450,000 people have fled – or are trying to flee – to Egypt, overwhelming the basic services provided at border crossings. Rural bus stations were just not ready to host hundreds of fleeing families.

With funding from CERF, UNICEF partnered with Aswan Water Company to provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene support, by deploying water trucks to the Argeen and Qustul border crossings as well as the Karkar international bus station.

At the same time, UNICEF provided proper waste disposal from the septic tanks, distributed essential supplies like soap and sanitizer, and built new toilet facilities at critical transport hubs to reduce the risk of disease and preserve people’s dignity despite the extremely difficult circumstances.

***

Adapted from stories from UNICEF, UNICEF Egypt and Concern

For more information on the CERF allocation, and allocation data on the CERF Data Hub.

Please visit the Sudan Humanitarian Fund and find real-time contribution and allocation data on the POOLED FUNDS DATA HUB.

One year after war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023, Sudan is facing one of the fastest unfolding crises globally, with unprecedented needs. About 25 million people – of whom over 14 million are children – need humanitarian assistance and support. Alarmingly 17.7 million people – more than one-third of the country’s population – are facing acute food insecurity (IPC3+) under a warning of potential famine issued by FEWS NET and underwritten by the Global IPC Group. Of these, 4.9 million people are on the brink of famine. More than 8.6 million people – about 16 per cent of the total population of the country – have fled their homes since the conflict started. They have sought refuge within Sudan or in neighbouring countries, making Sudan the largest displacement crisis in the world.

About 17.7 million people face acute hunger, 4.9 million in emergency levels

Devastating conflict and organized violence, coupled with the continued economic decline, have driven about 17.7 million people – more than one-third of the country’s population – into acute food insecurity (IPC3+) under a warning of potential famine issued by FEWS NET and underwritten by the Global IPC Group. Of these, 4.9 million people are on the brink of famine. Currently, only one in ten people in emergency levels of hunger are in areas where they can receive assistance due to access constraints and ongoing fighting. The expansion of fighting in December 2023 between the SAF and the RSF into parts of central and eastern Sudan—the country’s most important regions for crop production—was one of the factors behind the significant increase in humanitarian needs during the harvesting season (December and January) worsening an already dire food security situation, according to the FEWS NET.

More than 6.6 million people displaced within Sudan and 1.8 million fled the country

More than 8.6 million people have been displaced by fighting within Sudan and neighbouring countries. Over 6.6 million of them have been displaced and are sheltering mainly with host communities in 7,076 locations across Sudan’s 18 states, according to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM). Out of the 2 million that fled the country about 1.8 million people have sought refuge in the neighbouring countries of Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan as of 31 March, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). With close to 4 million children displaced, Sudan is facing the largest child displacement crisis in the world. The internally displaced people (IDPs) are originally from 12 states, with the majority - about 3.6 million people (54 per cent of all IDPs post- April) - from Khartoum. Most sought refuge in South Darfur followed by River Nile, East Darfur, North Darfur, White Nile, Sennar, Gedaref, Central Darfur, Northern, Aj Jazirah – most of which saw high levels of violence recently – and other states. As the conflict spread into Aj Jazirah in December, more than half a million people had to flee in a month, many for a second time having previously been displaced from Khartoum.

Over 11,000 suspected cholera cases, other disease outbreaks

Disease outbreaks are increasing in the face of disruptions of basic public health services, including disease surveillance, functions of public health laboratories and rapid response teams. In addition, insecurity, displacement, limited access to medicines, medical supplies, electricity, and water continue to pose enormous challenges to delivering health care across the country. About 65 per cent of the population lack access to healthcare and between 70 - 80 per cent of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are no longer functional. Over 11,000 suspected cases of cholera, including 305 deaths, have been reported from 11 states as of 8 April, according to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Other disease outbreaks are ongoing in several states, including measles (4,000 cases with 106 deaths), malaria, and dengue fever.

Over 700,000 children expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition

Nearly 5 million children had been forcibly displaced in Sudan by the end of 2023, including 2 million children displaced in previous crises, making it the world’s largest internal displacement crisis for children. Nearly 14 million – half the country’s children – now require humanitarian assistance, and around 900,000 children have sought refuge in neighbouring countries since the start of the war.

Thousands of children have been killed or injured, and countless more exposed to grave protection risks including sexual violence and recruitment or use in the conflict. At least 3.5 million children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, including over 700,000 who are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition and require specialized, uninterrupted life-saving treatment. With most schools shuttered or struggling to re-open across the country, a staggering 19 million school-aged children risk losing out on their education, with grave implications for their future prospects, for Sudan, and beyond.

Livelihoods decimated, economy to shrink by 18.3 per cent in 2024

The conflict is devastating the livelihoods of millions of people in Sudan. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that Sudan’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is likely to reduce by 18.3 per cent in 2024. According to the World Bank, the economy contracted by 12 per cent in 2023 as the conflict has halted production and destroyed human capital and state capacity. Moreover, the armed conflict has damaged the country’s industrial base, education, and health facilities. It has also led to a collapse in economic activity — including commerce, financial, and information and communications technology services — and the erosion of state capacity, with detrimental impacts on food security and forced displacement. For comparison, the economies of Yemen and Syria have shrunk by about 50 per cent over the past decade, or about 5 per cent per year on average. The pace of economic contraction in Sudan is on pace to more than double that decline.

About 8.1 million people have received lifesaving assistance since April

Despite various challenges - insecurity, looting, high levels of bureaucratic impediments, poor network and phone connectivity problems, lack of cash, and few technical and humanitarian staff on the ground – affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance in many parts of the country, humanitarian organizations reached about 8.1 million people with multi-cluster life-saving assistance and 5.7 million people with agriculture and livelihood support between 15 April and 31 December 2023. Mutual support and locally led aid efforts by volunteers have been instrumental in supporting people, particularly for those trapped in conflict or hard to reach areas. Prior to the conflict, 2.7 million people were reached with some form of humanitarian assistance from January to March 2023. This includes vital education, health, food, nutrition, water assistance and protection services.

More funding needed to reach more people

The 2024 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) is seeking US$2.7 billion from donors to provide life-saving multi-cluster and protection assistance to 14.7 million people in desperate need through the end of 2024. According to the Financial Tracking Service, the 2024 HNRP was only 5.8 per cent funded, with $155 million received as of 14 April 2024. In 2024, the 167 UN and NGO partners in Sudan can provide more people with assistance and services if the funding for humanitarian response is expanded with an emphasis on funding early in the year.

For the PDF: Sudan: Key Facts & Figures - 1 Year of Conflict

For the Infographic: Sudan: Key Facts & Figures - I Year of Conflict (Infographic)

(Geneva, 7 February 2024) The United Nations and its partners today appealed for a combined US$4.1 billion to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs of civilians in war-torn Sudan and those who have fled to neighbouring countries.

Ten months since the conflict erupted, half of Sudan’s population – some 25 million people – needs humanitarian assistance and protection. More than 1.5 million people have fled across Sudan’s borders to the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

The expansion of fighting in Sudan – including to the country’s breadbasket, Aj Jazirah – has created one of the world’s largest displacement and protection crises. Hunger is rampant, with nearly 18 million people facing acute food insecurity.

Intense hostilities continue to damage water supply networks and other critical civilian infrastructure in Sudan, and nearly three quarters of health facilities are out of service in conflict-affected states. Diseases including cholera, measles and malaria are spreading at a time when two thirds of the population lack access to health care. Some 19 million children are out of school. Human rights violations are widespread, with continued reports of gender-based violence.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) coordinates the response inside Sudan, with this year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan calling for $2.7 billion to reach 14.7 million people. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, coordinates the Regional Refugee Response Plan, which requests $1.4 billion and targets nearly 2.7 million people in five countries neighbouring Sudan.

Together, both plans aim to support some 17.4 million people in Sudan and the region.

"Ten months of conflict have robbed the people of Sudan of nearly everything – their safety, their homes and their livelihoods," said the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths. “The generosity of donors helps us provide food and nutrition, shelter, clean water, and education for children, and to fight the scourge of gender-based violence and care for the survivors. But last year’s appeal was less than half funded. This year, we must do better and with a heightened sense of urgency.”

The war has already forced more than 1.5 million people to flee to neighbouring countries that already had overstretched resources and were hosting large refugee populations. They include refugees and people compelled to return to their home countries prematurely. Most of them are arriving in remote and difficult-to-access locations that lack essential services. Support for the humanitarian response is crucial, but investments to strengthen national services and community resilience are equally critical to support host Governments and enable people to live in dignity.

“I just met with Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia and displaced people inside Sudan – they have lost so much,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. “Time after time, we hear the same message from them: We want peace so we can go home, and we need support to rebuild our lives. People are doing the best they can to get by with the basic support the host communities and humanitarian partners can give them. I urge the international community to step up their support for the people in Sudan. They desperately need help, and they need it now.”

Note to editors:

Aid workers from 167 humanitarian organizations reached some 7 million people in Sudan in 2023, with the support of international donors. Despite major access challenges, the humanitarian community delivered life-saving assistance across conflict lines in Sudan, and it continues to support Sudanese local responders in areas that few international partners can reach, including Khartoum and Darfur. Cross-border access from Chad has been a critical lifeline, with other avenues under consideration.

In 2023, 64 partners supported host Governments in providing more than 1.5 million people with critical life-saving support and protection in five neighbouring countries: the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan. In 2024, the Refugee Response Plan aims for 82 partners across the five countries to continue the life-saving interventions and additionally support resilience-building interventions for up to 2.7 million people.

Overview of the plans, photos and B-roll:

• Summary of the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan and the Regional Refugee Response Plan 2024

• OCHA photos and video B-roll

• UNHCR photos and B-roll

Media contacts:

• Jens Laerke, OCHA Geneva, laerke@un.org, +41 79 472 9750

• William Spindler, UNHCR Geneva, spindler@unhcr.org, +41 79 549 5998