The United Nations World Food Program is having issues with alleviating the hunger crisis in Sudan, according to a new, internal report.
First shared by Reuters, the internal report found that millions of people in Sudan remain unfed as the country faces one of the worst hunger crises the world has ever seen. Conducted by the WFP Regional Emergency Coordination team, the report found that the program was not prepared for the crisis in Sudan for a number of reasons.
Along with an internal fraud investigation, the WFP was found to be “overly optimistic” in its target reach and is facing a lack of funding from top officials, including the United States. As a result of the lack of funding, it has been reported that only about 50% of the targeted 8.4 million people identified as having the ability to receive aid from the WFP have actually been helped during the hunger crisis.
“It took us too long to actually get back on our feet and deliver in an effective and efficient and principled way,” said the Deputy Executive Director of the WFP, Carl Skau, per Reuters. “I’m confident the WFP is there now and that we are doing everything possible.”
In Sudan, more than half of the population is currently hunger-starved. Per the Center for Strategic and International Studies, approximately 25.6 million people are faced with food insecurity on a crisis level. The hunger crisis has been caused and exacerbated by an inner civil war that erupted in April 2023.
On April 15 of last year, infighting began between two groups, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
As a result of the conflict, along with millions of people being starved due to the areas that have the most crop production being affected, more than 20,000 people have been killed and 8.1 million have been displaced. Sexual violence against women and girls is also reportedly on the rise while, in places such as Darfur, some are also reporting ethnic cleansing.
As the conflict continues to rage on more than a year after it began, some are highlighting the lack of involvement of the United States. Officials are reportedly claiming that the lack of attention on Sudan comes from the involvement of a major Middle East U.S. ally, the United Arab Emirates.
Per a report by Amnesty International, the U.A.E. is reportedly supplying the RSF with weapons, violating the embargo placed by the United Nations. Those weapons have been allegedly used to aid in war crimes in multiple areas of Sudan, such as Darfur.
In a statement provided to CBS News, the Foreign Ministry of the country denied the allegations.
“Cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Sudan has included various forms of assistance provided between 2019 and 2021 to the Government of Sudan,” said the ministry, adding that any assistance was “consistent with our obligations under international law.”
With the crisis growing worse, earlier this month, a top U.S. Democrat, along with 12 other co-sponsors, announced that they would introduce a new bill dedicated to addressing the issues in Sudan.
Along with ensuring that the U.S. president will submit an outline for how to deliver aid and peace to Sudan, the bill aims to sanction both the SAF and the RSF as well as prohibit the sale of American weapons to either side.
