Sudan: UN Agencies Warn Humanitarian System in Sudan 'Could Collapse'

What the report says

UN aid agencies said they may be forced to reduce operations in Sudan because of funding shortages, warning that the country’s humanitarian response could break down within weeks if money does not arrive. The warning came from UN organizations including the International Organization for Migration and the World Food Programme, according to UN News as republished by AllAfrica. Sudan is now facing what UN officials describe as the world’s most severe hunger and displacement emergency.

The report said the crisis stems from the civil war that began in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, and that the violence continues to uproot civilians and block access to assistance. UN figures cited in the story put the number of internally displaced people at about 8.6 million, while 19.5 million people are said to face crisis-level food insecurity. Aid operations are also being strained by road access problems, drone strikes in several states, and worsening local conditions.

UN officials said existing relief systems are under pressure. IOM warned that shelter, sanitation and emergency household supplies could run out by the end of September without more support, while WFP said it reaches millions each month but is operating with limited funding and reduced food rations in some areas. The agencies also stressed that more funding would help expand air deliveries and other access routes for civilians in hard-to-reach places.

The article also notes that UN officials recently visited several areas, including El Obeid, El Fasher and Khartoum, where they saw large displacement sites and severe destruction. Their message was that civilian protection, humanitarian access and renewed donor funding are urgently needed to prevent a further collapse of aid delivery.