Fears of greater humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan

Nearly 16 million people in Sudan were already contending with a humanitarian crisis and acute food insecurity before the fighting broke out over a week ago. Many are dependent on emergency aid to survive.

‘It is the responsibility of the warring parties to protect civilians affected by hostilities. They must ensure that people have access to what they need to survive. It is unacceptable to prevent life-saving assistance from reaching people in need,’ Ms Tvinnereim said.

According to UNICEF, millions of children are at risk, including an estimated 50 000 children suffering severe acute malnutrition who need help to survive. The World Food Programme has reported that food warehouses have been looted, trucks stolen, and significant damage done to aircraft that were to be used to deliver food aid to a third of the population, who were already affected by the hunger crisis in Sudan before the recent hostilities broke out. 

‘There have been targeted attacks on aid workers. This is a tragedy, and it is in violation of international humanitarian law. Attacks on aid workers, schools, health workers and hospitals must cease immediately,’ Ms Tvinnereim said.

All humanitarian operations have been severely disrupted by the hostilities, and this will have dramatic consequences. When emergency aid efforts are halted, it is the most vulnerable groups that are hit the hardest.

‘Aid workers are never legitimate targets. Humanitarian actors must be given access to the many people in the country who are in need of protection, food, water and medicines. As long as the fighting and attacks on aid workers continue, humanitarian organisations will be unable to carry out their work,’ said Ms Tvinnereim. 

Due to the sheer scale of humanitarian need, Sudan has been one of the countries that has received most humanitarian aid from Norway. Norway has provided support for humanitarian action and development efforts in Sudan for many years. Norwegian organisations such as the Norwegian Refugee Council, Norwegian Church Aid and Save the Children Norway have played a key role in this work. Now they have had to put most of their aid operations on hold. 

‘The fighting over the past few days has severely curtailed Norwegian aid efforts in Sudan. Regrettably, the worst-case scenario we feared might happen has now become reality. As soon as the hostilities end and the weapons are silenced, the efforts of the humanitarian organisations will provide a lifeline for even more people. The humanitarian needs will be enormous,’ Ms Tvinnereim said. 

​​