Sudan: Lack of funds limits WFP assistance to 5 million people

The WFP estimates it still needs nearly $300 million to maintain its current operations. Due to insufficient resources, the United Nations agency has refocused its assistance on the 5 million people deemed most vulnerable and currently reaches about 4 million.

In the town of Tawila, in North Darfur, where approximately one million people have sought refuge, the WFP distributes monthly rations that only cover two weeks of food needs. In El Obeid, in the central part of the country, the agency is concentrating its assistance on individuals who have arrived in recent months.

The funding shortfall adds to access constraints and the direct effects of the conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. The WFP reports that nearly 19.5 million people are facing crisis-level hunger or worse, and it requires an additional $579 million for its operations through October 2026.

Contributions continue to trickle in, however. On September 9, the WFP announced a $5 million aid package from South Korea aimed at funding emergency food assistance for 365,000 people and school meals for 23,000 children.

The financial pressure is also affecting other humanitarian operations. The International Organization for Migration has warned that its stocks of shelter materials, sanitation supplies, and emergency household goods could be depleted by the end of September. The agency states it needs $15 million to maintain a supply chain for assistance to approximately 305,000 people through the end of the year.

The conflict that erupted in April 2023 has caused massive displacement and severely disrupted the economy, agriculture, and essential services. The International Organization for Migration estimates that 8.6 million people remain displaced within Sudan, while 4.9 million have returned to their areas of origin.