Sudan Refugee Crisis: Urgent Call for Funding to Prevent Food Aid Halt

Food aid efforts aimed at supporting Sudanese refugees in four neighboring countries are on the brink of being suspended in the coming months if new funding is not injected urgently, a World Food Programme official warned on Tuesday. This comes amid escalating malnutrition levels.

More than 4 million refugees have fled Sudan's enduring civil war to seven neighboring nations where the current shelter conditions are widely considered inadequate due to chronic funding shortages. Shaun Hughes, the WFP's emergency coordinator for the Sudan regional crisis, emphasized the need for an additional $200 million over six months to maintain aid efforts.

Hughes specifically highlighted that the WFP's operations in the Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Libya are severely underfunded, risking a complete halt in support as resources dwindle, potentially within two months. He attributed the funding shortfall to widespread donor reductions and increased global humanitarian needs, while acknowledging that the United States remains the top donor for Sudan despite cuts under President Donald Trump's administration.

(With inputs from agencies.)