The World Food Program (WFP) announced on Friday that it reached 4 million people in Sudan in March, marking its highest monthly outreach since the war began in April 2023.
Despite this, the UN agency warned that aid efforts are still inadequate for the vast needs across the country.
Samantha Chattaraj, WFP’s emergency coordinator for Sudan, stated that 1.6 million of those helped live in areas either already experiencing famine or at risk.
She called the situation in Sudan “one of the most complex and challenging humanitarian crises” in the world.
The conflict has left nearly 25 million people, or half of Sudan’s population, facing acute hunger.
Among them are 5 million children and breastfeeding mothers severely malnourished, as the country grapples with widespread food insecurity.
Sudan remains the only country in the world where famine is confirmed, Chattaraj emphasized.
Despite recent improvements in access, the scale of the crisis continues to outpace aid efforts.
The WFP aims to expand its reach to 7 million people by mid-year, focusing on the most vulnerable areas.
However, this effort depends on securing $698 million in donor funding to sustain operations from May to October.
If sufficient funds are not raised, the agency warned that food rations, the number of beneficiaries, and the geographical scope of aid could be reduced.
The conflict, sparked by clashes between the General Abdel Fattah al Burhan-led army and the Rapid Support Forces, has claimed over 20,000 lives and displaced 15 million people, with the death toll potentially exceeding 130,000.