Impact of US Aid Suspension on Hunger Crisis in Sudan
The decision by the United States to suspend foreign aid to Sudan has further worsened the catastrophic hunger crisis in the country, with millions at risk of dying from malnutrition-related illnesses. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) played a crucial role in funding relief efforts, supporting Emergency Response Rooms (ERR) and shared kitchens that were a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people. However, with the pause in USAID funding, many shared kitchens have been forced to close, leaving people struggling with hunger levels at famine-like proportions.
The power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has escalated into a civil war, has further hindered aid efforts in regions where UN agencies and global aid organizations cannot access due to interference by warring parties. Despite the efforts of ERR volunteers, over 600,000 people in Sudan are currently facing famine, with another eight million on the brink of hunger, according to the UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
Challenges Faced by Aid Organizations
The unpredictable decisions of the Trump administration on foreign aid have left NGOs and aid workers in uncertainty, unsure of how to proceed amid chaos and confusion. While some shared kitchens have managed to secure alternative funding from the Sudanese diaspora and small charities, many remain closed. The situation is further complicated by bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the Sudanese military, delaying aid deliveries to needed regions.
Both SAF and RSF are responsible for exacerbating the hunger crisis, with accusations of market looting, aid obstruction, and even shelling of displaced persons camps. Ongoing violence in Sudan is making it increasingly difficult for local relief groups and aid agencies to reach vulnerable civilians, pushing them to the brink of starvation. Efforts are being made to appeal to the European Union and UN agencies to help fill the gap left by the absence of USAID funding, but without urgent intervention, hundreds of thousands of people could die from malnutrition-related illnesses. The threat of famine across the country underscores the urgent need for rapid and coordinated action to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
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