The United Kingdom has pledged to double its aid to Sudan, increasing assistance to £113 million in response to escalating humanitarian concerns. This increase comes as the country faces the threat of famine on a scale not seen since the devastating Ethiopian famine of the 1980s.
Addressing a Humanitarian Catastrophe
Sudan’s ongoing crisis and civil war, primarily between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has pushed the country into a severe humanitarian emergency.
Both warring parties are blocking aid deliveries, and they are using starvation as a weapon of war. This situation has led to fears that the death toll could far exceed the Ethiopian famine of 1983-1985, which claimed the lives of over one million people.
The United Nations has warned that the unfolding tragedy in Sudan could soon become a humanitarian catastrophe of historic proportions.
The UK’s £113 million aid package aims to provide critical support to Sudan and its neighboring countries, which are also being affected by the conflict.
According to UK officials, Sudan will now be one of the largest recipients of British foreign aid, alongside Afghanistan. However, some critics have pointed out that this amount is still less than half of the aid allocated to Ukraine in recent years.
International Call for Unrestricted Humanitarian Access
As part of the UK’s diplomatic efforts to alleviate the crisis, Foreign Secretary David Lammy will push for a UN Security Council resolution that demands the protection of civilians and the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid.
During his visit to the UN on Monday, Nov. 18, Lammy will call for the opening of the critical Adré border crossing between Sudan and Chad, which the conflict has closed. “We cannot deliver aid without access. Starvation must not serve as a weapon of war,” Lammy stated.
Aid organizations are particularly concerned about the ongoing fighting in el-Gezira state, Sudan’s agricultural heartland. The violence in this region threatens to exacerbate further food shortages, which could result in even more deaths if urgent intervention is not provided.
A Rising Death Toll and the Looming Threat of Disease
Recent studies have revealed that the death toll in Sudan is already much higher than previously reported. Over 61,000 deaths have been recorded in Khartoum alone, primarily due to diseases and starvation.
As the crisis continues, the UN has also reported outbreaks of cholera in areas such as al-Hilaliya, a town in el-Gezira state, where hundreds may have died in the last month.
Despite the immense scale of the crisis, the UN’s Sudan humanitarian appeal has only received 57% of the required funding. More than 500,000 people in Darfur are currently living in famine conditions, with the number likely to increase as the conflict continues to spread across the country. Approximately 25 million people in Sudan are now reliant on humanitarian aid.
With famine approaching, the UK’s decision to double its aid to Sudan is a crucial step, but more support is urgently needed. Officials warn the death toll could reach millions without further intervention. The international community must act now to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
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