WFP Funding for Sudan Falls to $206 Million Amid Hunger Crisis

Funding for the U.N. World Food Programme’s operations in Sudan has fallen by roughly half, leaving the agency nearly $300 million short of what it needs to maintain current assistance. The WFP received $206 million this year, compared with $645 million last year, as the war between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces has displaced millions, disrupted harvests and worsened hunger. Nearly 20 million people face hunger, but budget constraints have forced the agency to prioritize about 5 million of the most vulnerable, reaching roughly 4 million. In North Darfur’s Tawila, where about 1 million displaced people live, monthly distributions provide only enough food for about two weeks, while assistance in El Obeid is increasingly limited to recent arrivals. Aid officials warn that funding shortages are now preventing the WFP from fully using its humanitarian presence as needs continue to grow.