Food Aid to Sudanese Refugees at Risk of Ending

Food Aid to Sudanese Refugees at Risk of Ending

GENEVA (Reuters)

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that food aid to Sudanese refugees in four neighboring countries could end within the next couple of months due to a lack of funding, leading to rising malnutrition levels.

– More than 4 million Sudanese refugees have fled to seven neighboring countries, facing inadequate shelter conditions due to funding shortages.
– Humanitarian Needs: Refugees require food, medical, and humanitarian assistance to survive.

“Unless new funding is secured, all refugees will face assistance cuts in the coming months,” Shaun Hughes, the WFP’s emergency coordinator for the Sudan regional crisis, told a Geneva press briefing, calling for $200 million over six months.

“In the case of four countries – that’s the Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia and Libya – WFP’s operations are now so severely underfunded, that all support could cease in the coming months as resources run dry,” he said, clarifying later that this could happen within two months.

Many of those fleeing are escaping from hunger hot spots in Sudan. A joint U.N. report said last month the country was at immediate risk of famine.

Hughes said that any reduction or end to rations would leave child refugees at a greater risk of malnutrition.

Asked why the funding had fallen, he cited reductions from donors across the board and rising humanitarian needs.

He added that the United States, which has reduced its foreign aid spending dramatically under President Donald Trump, remained its top donor for Sudan.