WFP Operational Update on Food Distributions in Sudan

Photo: WFP/Photolibrary
Published August 29, 2024

PORT SUDAN – The UN World Food Programme is working around the clock to deliver food assistance to communities across Sudan facing acute hunger. The food agency’s priority is providing vital aid across 14 areas in Sudan to people who are either facing famine or at risk of slipping into famine after 500 days of relentless conflict.

Recently there has been progress in getting urgently needed food and nutrition assistance through Chad’s re-opened Adre border crossing, which is enabling WFP to provide the people of Sudan with the regular support they urgently need. WFP has assisted around 8.4 million people in Sudan since the war began 500 days ago in April 2023. 

Latest operational updates from WFP’s operations in Sudan:

  • Since Chad’s Adre border with Sudan was reopened for humanitarian convoys, WFP trucks carrying over 630 metric tons – enough for nearly 55,000 people – have crossed into the Darfur region. The latest crossed on Tuesday 27 August.
  • This food assistance is for communities in Kereneik and Sirba – two areas that are at risk of famine in West Darfur. Some supplies have already arrived in Mornei town in Kereneik while other convoys are still on route. Progress of the convoys has been slowed by damaged bridges, as well as flooded and muddy roads as the peak of the rainy season in Sudan approaches.
  • WFP is working to get food for half a million people through the Adre border crossing and into the hands of people across Darfur as soon as possible. There needs to be a regular flow of humanitarian aid through the Adre border crossing.
  • Trucks carrying 1,134 mt of food – enough for around 280,000 people – crossed from Chad into Sudan’s Darfur region via the other border crossing – Tine – on Wednesday and Thursday last week. Distributions of this vital food assistance will start as soon as possible in locations across Darfur for communities facing famine or at risk of slipping into famine. This food assistance had been stranded at the border because of flooded seasonal riverbeds (Wadis) linked to heavy rainfall this year. Floodwaters have receded slightly allowing the trucks to move, though progress remains slow because of poor road conditions.
  • WFP is also delivering cash assistance to families across Darfur. The first cash transfers in Ardamata and El Riad in Geneina, West Darfur have started, while cash distributions are due to start soon in Kulbus, West Darfur and Zalingei, Central Darfur. A total of 300,000 people will receive WFP cash assistance in these locations.
  • In other parts of Sudan, WFP has completed food distributions in Karrari, Khartoum with 45,000 displaced people supported. In August, WFP-supported community kitchens, run by Emergency Response Rooms and community-based organizations in Khartoum, provided nearly 180,000 people with daily hot meals, while nutrition support is ongoing in Karrari, Omdurman, and Umbada. Cash distributions are scheduled to start next week in the two ‘Risk of Famine’ localities of Khartoum.
  • WFP has provided high energy biscuits to 14,000 flood-affected IDPs in Kassala, who were displaced by fighting in Sinja, Sennar state. Food distributions for newly displaced people from Sinja are also ongoing for around 80,000 IDPs in Gedaref and Kassala. 

Note to Editors:

Broadcast quality footage of WFP trucks at Adre is available here.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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This article originally appeared on WFP.org