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| Sudanese refugee camp on the border with Chad |
The World Food Program (WFP) issued a stark warning
on Tuesday, stating that humanitarian aid for Sudanese refugees in four
neighboring countries is expected to run out within the next two months. This
critical depletion will occur unless urgent new funding is secured, potentially
leading to a sharp rise in malnutrition levels.
Over four million Sudanese refugees have fled the
ongoing civil war in their home country, which has persisted for more than two
years. These refugees have sought refuge in seven neighboring nations, where
living conditions are largely inadequate due to persistent funding shortfalls.
Critical Funding Gap Threatens Operations
A WFP emergency coordinator for the regional Sudan crisis,
speaking at a press conference in Geneva, emphasized the dire situation:
"Unless new funding is provided, all refugees will face aid reductions in
the coming months." He urgently appealed for $200 million to
sustain operations over the next six months.
He further elaborated that in four specific countries—the Central
African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Libya—WFP operations are severely
underfunded. This dire situation means that all support could cease in the
coming months as resources are depleted, specifically highlighting a two-month
timeline for potential complete halts.
A joint United Nations report, released last month by the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the WFP, indicated that Sudan itself
is at risk of imminent famine.
Any reduction or cessation of food rations, the coordinator warned, will significantly increase the risk of malnutrition among refugee children. When questioned about the decline in funding, he pointed to overall reductions from donors coupled with a surge in global humanitarian needs. He added that the United States, despite having significantly reduced its foreign aid spending under President Donald Trump, remains the largest donor to Sudan.
