Six Months In - Is the World Turning a Blind Eye to Sudan?

October 13, 2023

October 15 marks six months of escalating and devastating conflict that has engulfed Sudan in a toxic mix of fighting, indiscriminate killings, gender-based violence, ethnic targeting, and looting, forcing more than 5.4 million people to flee their homes while many more remain deprived of life's most basic necessities: clean water, food, and healthcare. 

In addition to the rapidly deteriorating security context, local and international humanitarian actors face a litany of bureaucratic impediments, including pending visas, limited entry points, and access restrictions, which continue to hamper efforts to help the 24.7 million people in dire need of humanitarian aid and safety. 

Mercy Corps Country Director for Sudan, Sibongani Kayola, says: 

"Six months of escalating conflict in Sudan has led to immense suffering, making Sudan the world's fastest-growing displacement crisis. Sudan is barely survivable, and despite the best efforts of aid organizations, millions of people remain in desperate need as virtually all vital services have collapsed, including healthcare. 

"Hunger levels are at a critical high and are expected to worsen. Mercy Corps' recent remote sensing analysis reveals a significant decline in vegetation across the country as of mid-September 2023. This analysis indicates that a poor harvest is likely, which will exacerbate the already critical food shortage and raise serious concerns about overall food security.

"The uncomfortable truth is that the international community is not doing enough. Funding falls dramatically short of what's needed to meet the urgent needs of the Sudanese people. Pledges have reached just 32.8 percent of the $2.6 billion needed in the Humanitarian Response Plan. Aid organizations are left scrambling to allocate severely limited resources, and diplomatic efforts to secure humanitarian aid access or a ceasefire have been painfully slow.  

"The international community must renew their efforts to find diplomatic solutions to end the conflict, remove bureaucratic barriers, and, most importantly, provide the necessary funding to support a spiraling humanitarian catastrophe. 

"This is more than a crisis for Sudan—it's a global moral failure. The crisis in Sudan demands our attention, our outrage, and, most crucially, our action. We must stand in solidarity with the people of Sudan, as we have in other global crises."

Note to Editors: