In Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, there are many individuals desperately seeking assistance and compassion, trapped in a city with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees. Untold numbers are dying from unexplained causes as the consequence of an ongoing, destructive conflict now entering its second year.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been consumed by warfare, ignited by a falling-out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This has sparked a migration emergency, which the United Nations has declared as the most severe globally. The International Organisation for Migration reports a worrying 10 million internally displaced individuals as of this month, with 2.8 million of them displaced prior to the current hostilities. Sudan has experienced an exodus of over 1.89 million people who have sought refuge mainly in neighbouring countries – more than 600,000 have moved to Chad and 500,000 are now residing in Egypt.
Several demographics, including the elderly, disabled people, previous refugees from various regional conflicts and those lacking financial resources, find themselves living amidst the warfare.
A gut-wrenching message from a local resident clearly illustrates the dire situation: “We’re stuck, there’s no escaping Khartoum and existence here is torture. It’s possible many could perish due to starvation,” he explains, while also acknowledging the harsh reality of finding drinking water amidst an increasingly unforgiving hot season – “No hydration, no power. Pedestrians often collapse from heatstroke during their futile search for water.” Long queues at water sources are commonplace, he adds, and when this isn’t available, residents are forced to buy lower-grade, salt-tasting water.
Many are dying from dehydration or are found dead in their homes, with authorities none the wiser for several days. The resident adds: “It’s not clear which combatants control our area. All we know is they’re armed and they have been robbing and killing during the dead of night.” He also mentions that while mosques have been providing free meals, it hardly scratches the surface of the crisis’ magnitude.
As of last December, the US Department of State found evidence of war crimes committed by all sides involved in the conflict, with the RSF and associated militias also found guilty of ethnic cleansing.
In May, Reuters received confirmation of a potential famine in Sudan from Tom Perriello, the US special representative to the country, who suggested the war’s death toll could reach 150,000. He expressed uncertainly regarding the extent and duration of the famine. The UN’s World Food Programme has issued warnings of Sudan potentially becoming a global epicentre for hunger if the conflict doesn’t end, considering its population of around 47 million.
Embedded with an anecdote about the unique vulnerabilities faced by disabled children in South Sudan, a March report by Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an internationally recognized famine tracker, indicated a never-seen-before level of acute food insecurity in Sudan in 2023. By February, over one-third of the population was subject to severe food insecurity, while about 10% – nearly 4.9 million people – were facing an emergency situation just shy of complete famine.
Meanwhile, aid distribution has turned into a battlefront. According to the International Crisis Group, last month, both the warring factions, particularly the military, are obstructing food aid.
In an April virtual press conference, Abdalla Hussein, the operations chief for Doctors Without Borders, reported that staff members were denied entry into Sudan, in spite of immense need, and fortified security checks have resulted in essential supplies for the war-injured being confiscated. They particularly lack resources for women needing Caesarean operations due to an inhumane policy of filtering.
Hussein called on the UN to magnify its efforts, especially considering the lack of funding. Despite the desperate necessity, Sudan’s humanitarian response plan by the UN, assessed to require $2.7 billion (€2.5 billion) by 2024, is hardly 16% funded currently.
The outbreak of war has triggered a discourse on the relevance of allocating resources to local endeavours, particularly after it caused hindrances and interruptions to the operations of various international bodies. Dominic MacSorley, the managing director of Concern Worldwide, an international organisation that has been active in Sudan for several years, acknowledged the necessity for these global establishments to evacuate Khartoum at the onset of combat. According to MacSorley, it was unforeseen that Khartoum would capitulate and the common presumption was that the hostilities would likely come to a resolution in a few weeks time.
Several establishments subsequently set up their primary operations base in Port Sudan, a municipality located alongside the Red Sea, approximately an 800km journey from Khartoum by road. He also shared that from the initial 150 Sudanese personnel employed by Concern Worldwide in their mission prior to the war, they were now down to just about 95. He elaborated that many of these staff members had relocated within the country, while others had absconded across various frontiers. MacSorley revealed that about one-third of this group, who had before been involved in projects in West Darfur, were currently staying in refugee settlements in Chad.
MacSorley stated that a significant barrier to assembling the funds required for aid efforts is a misguided notion that it’s unfeasible to facilitate any kind of assistance amid ongoing hostilities. The United Nation’s Office for Humanitarian Affairs Coordination (OCHA), disclosed that only 8.1 million individuals received some variety of aid out of the 25 million Sudanese in need between April and December of the prior year. Furthermore, the OCHA reported in mid-May of the current year, that food assistance had reached 1.8 million persons via the World Food Programme since the start of 2024.
Despite challenging conditions such as pillaging and a shortfall of essentials, MacSorley confirmed that Concern Worldwide was able to sustain access to the health centres it was backing in Port Sudan, Kordofan and Darfur.
Sudan’s size, scale, and lack of developed infrastructure have always made it difficult, but ongoing conflicts have drastically complicated matters and increased costs, resulting in aid-delivery programs facing significant challenges. The strife has forced aid-flotillas to elongate their journeys, avoiding attacks by Yemen’s Houthi insurgents in the Red Sea who aim at disrupting naval traffic, backing the Palestinians in Gaza. Therefore, necessary pharmaceuticals ordered from places like the Netherlands, which would typically take up to two months for delivery, are now taking up to six months, according to MacSorley.
Highlighting the difficulty, he mentioned that global organisations such as Concern were exploring alternative methods to deliver aid, like collaborating with local traders who routinely travel across the Sudan and South Sudan borders.
The persistent challenges in Sudan have sparked the international community to reconsider their support and supply strategies for those in need. Matters have become more complex due to a broad internet blackout in the country. Some citizens have found a workaround by using Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service. However, SpaceX, the company behind the service, has issued warnings regarding unauthorised use. Many humanitarian organisations have cautioned Musk, stating that such restrictions could disproportionately affect civilians and aid providers attempting to reach them.
The lack of communication infrastructure has also hindered Sudanese volunteer groups’ fundraising efforts to provide free meals for those in need. Residents of Khartoum, in particular, feel isolated due to the communication blackout. This lacks educational prospects and job opportunities, whilst individuals reliant on overseas financial aid can no longer obtain bank transfers. It’s a stressful situation felt by all, with children, pregnant and lactating women, and individuals with lasting illnesses suffering the most.
Civilian aid predominantly came from community initiatives, highlighted by her statement that Sudanese civilians had established hubs for dispersing provisions such as cooked meals, lentils, oil, flour and a selection of free medicines. However, the demand constantly exceeded supply due to limited resources. “We need assistance to escalate our appeal as a community for humanitarian aid during and after the conflict”.
A Sudanese individual residing in London, only known as Yusuf for safety concerns, played a critical part in the establishment of the Khartoum Aid Kitchen. This facility has successfully raised roughly €300,000 since April. Initially, this initiative supported existing volunteer-operated kitchens in Khartoum. “We acknowledged the vital role these kitchens played, especially in filling the significant deficit between the needs of Sudanese civilians and the degree of support offered by international aid groups. Frankly, this support is woefully inadequate in face of the enormity of the ongoing crisis,” conveyed Yusuf.
Contrary to popular belief, he clarified that food supplies were sufficient across much of Sudan, but the population didn’t have the financial means to purchase it.
“Interestingly, most of our funding comes from non-Sudanese donors,” he stated. “Despite the Sudanese conflict receiving minimal coverage in the press, there remains a considerable number of individuals updated on the situation through social media. They understand the seriousness of Sudan’s current situation and wish to extend their help in any capacity possible.”