The humanitarian situation in Sudan is “rapidly deteriorating,” says Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative for that country. Following a visit to several locations in war-torn Sudan, he warns of an “imminent catastrophe.” Yett speaks of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
“We are on the verge of irreparable harm to an entire generation of children,” the UN children’s organization official said at a press conference on Tuesday. “Not because we lack the knowledge or the means to save them, but because we are collectively failing to act in a way that this crisis demands.” Yett says children are dying from hunger, disease and violence because they lack access to life-saving assistance.
The war began in April 2023 with a conflict between Sudan’s military leader, Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and his then-second-in-command, commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the paramilitary RSF. This power struggle has displaced millions of people and left many hungry.
Due to the war and the rainy season, which makes some roads inaccessible, aid organizations cannot reach all parts of Sudan. According to Yett, record numbers of children admitted with acute malnutrition show that the need for assistance is enormous in areas that have recently become accessible.
Yett says UNICEF and its partners are “doing everything” they can, but that recent cuts have forced some partners to scale back their operations. UNICEF is stepping up aid, but “cannot do it alone.”
The representative says children have limited access to drinking water, food and care. “Malnutrition is widespread and many children are skin and bones.” Several areas in Khartoum State are at risk of famine, according to the World Food Program. They are also being hit hard by ongoing violence.