UN humanitarians sound alarm about growing risk of famine in Sudan

NEW YORK, May 2 (KUNA) -- A group of 10 Emergency Directors from UN agencies and non-governmental organizations wrapped up a joint mission to Sudan Thursday to sound the alarm over the absolutely devastating situation across the country, including a growing risk of famine.
"The war has left 25 million Sudanese needing aid, but in the city of El Fasher, an ever tightening siege is cutting off vulnerable civilians who urgently need such basic essentials as food, water and medicines," UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan Toby Harward, who took part in the mission to Sudan, told the UN news today.
Harward described the humanitarian and security situation in El Fasher and in localities surrounding in North Darfur's capital as catastrophic.
"During the last weeks, there has been a significant deterioration in the security situation, including increasing arbitrary killings, theft of livestock, systematic burning of entire villages in rural areas, escalating air bombardments of parts of the city and a tightening siege around El Fasher, which has halted humanitarian aid convoys and choked off commercial trade," he said.
The UN official argued that as a result, prices of increasingly scarce commodities like food, water and fuel have soared, putting large numbers of people at risk of hunger and disease.
"International non-governmental organisations (INGOs) like Doctors without Borders (MSF), have described escalating hunger and medical emergencies in pockets of the state, including in the Zamzam camp. Some areas around El Fasher and elsewhere in Darfur now stand on the brink of famine," he warned.
He stressed that the UN and partners must do everything possible to scale up their activities in the state. He, however, noted that in order to respond, the humanitarian agencies need a calm and conducive environment, and this does not exist at the moment.
For his part, Spokesperson for UN Secretary General Stephane Dujarric echoed the same call.
"Humanitarians urgently need to expand access - across conflict lines and borders - to reach people in need wherever they are," Dujarric said in a press briefing today.
"They also need more resources; despite generous pledges made in Paris about two weeks ago, in the conference there, the Sudan humanitarian appeal remains only 10 percent funded." Dujarric added that the UN officials, who have just returned from Sudan, are deeply disturbed by the situation for civilians in and around El Fasher, where clashes and tensions have escalated.
"We are particularly alarmed about restrictions on civilian movements and reports that civilians are being attacked and robbed while attempting to flee south from the capital of North Darfur State. Fighting in and around the city has already cut off humanitarian access to civilians who desperately need assistance," he said.
He warned that if the violence in El Fasher escalates, more than 360,000 people will be deprived of food assistance and livelihood support, and more than 100,000 will lose out on shelter assistance. It could also have a negative impact on the UN humanitarian access to other states in Darfur. (end) ast.ibi