Darfur High Court: No Aid Package to Mitigate Famine Threat Due to Drought and Soaring Food Prices

• The General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees has warned of an imminent famine in Darfur due to severe drought and soaring food prices.
• Cholera is spreading in El Obeid, North Kordofan, amid shortages of food and drinking water, with 70% of the city's drinking-water supply disrupted.
• International organizations are urged to increase their support for displaced people from West Kordofan as the humanitarian crisis deepens.

The General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees has warned that an imminent famine threatens Darfur unless urgent intervention by humanitarian organizations occurs.

The humanitarian situation in Darfur is rapidly deteriorating due to a combination of factors, including severe drought and soaring food prices. The General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees has warned that an imminent famine threatens the region unless urgent intervention by humanitarian organizations occurs. Markets in Central Darfur's Nierteti locality have seen sharp price increases, with basic supplies such as millet, sugar, salt, soap, and cooking oil becoming unaffordable for many households.

Emergency rooms and early-warning groups have previously highlighted the devastating impact of erratic rainfall on farmland, preventing key crops from germinating. Farmers face record prices for seeds and fertilizers, while severe fuel shortages hinder ploughing operations, leaving large areas of farmland uncultivated. Road closures and sieges further disrupt trade, exacerbating food price inflation.

The city of El Obeid in North Kordofan is facing a humanitarian disaster as cholera spreads due to shortages of food and drinking water. Plan International has warned that the situation is approaching a catastrophe, with 70% of the city's drinking-water supply disrupted following attacks and restrictions linked to the RSF siege and the arrival of displaced families. The organization has called for urgent international action to protect children and address the worsening humanitarian crisis.

The North Kordofan authorities have launched an aid package targeting 7,000 displaced families in shelters across El Obeid, providing 4,000 food baskets and 3,000 blankets. However, this assistance is insufficient to address the scale of the crisis, and international organizations are urged to increase their support for displaced people from West Kordofan.

The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Darfur and North Kordofan is part of a broader regional context marked by drought, food price inflation, and humanitarian challenges. The severe lack of rainfall has dried out farmland, preventing key crops from germinating, while record prices for seeds and fertilizers have left farmers struggling to cultivate their land. Severe fuel shortages further hinder ploughing operations, exacerbating the crisis.

The situation is not limited to Darfur and North Kordofan; other regions in Sudan are also facing humanitarian challenges. The cholera outbreak in El Obeid highlights the need for urgent international action to protect children and address the worsening humanitarian crisis.

Lawyers advising clients operating in Sudan should be aware of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Darfur and North Kordofan, which may impact business operations and supply chains. They should also monitor for updates on aid packages and international assistance to displaced persons.

Source: Original reporting via Radio Dabanga