The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a dire warning as hundreds of thousands of people escape the conflict in Sudan by crossing into South Sudan. These refugees are enduring multiple days without food, and child malnutrition rates are skyrocketing along the border, raising the specter of a hunger emergency.
The United Nations agency acknowledges its struggle to keep pace with the escalating humanitarian demands in the region. Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP’s South Sudan country director, laments, “We are seeing families leave one disaster for another as they flee danger in Sudan only to find despair in South Sudan.”
Approximately 90% of the displaced population is experiencing days without sustenance, with alarming statistics revealing that one in five children and a quarter of pregnant or breastfeeding mothers are already malnourished. These individuals are escaping the warfare that erupted in Sudan in April, with many reporting thefts during their journey, leaving them with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
The majority of those affected are South Sudanese who had been living and working in Sudan. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after enduring decades of conflict.
The WFP is grappling with resource limitations, unable to provide the necessary life-saving aid. To address this crisis and extend support to those in dire need, the organization requires more than $120 million (£99.5 million) in funding. The situation on the border remains critical as efforts to assist these vulnerable populations face significant challenges.
