Nairobi: The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is grappling with significant challenges in its response to the Sudan crisis, hindering efforts to address widespread hunger in the war-torn nation and straining relationships with key donors. A confidential internal report obtained by Reuters highlights critical flaws in the WFP's operations, including inefficiencies, missed funding opportunities, and persistent anti-fraud issues.
Sudan represents the WFP’s largest emergency, with nearly half of the country’s 50 million residents experiencing severe hunger due to ongoing civil conflict since April 2023. Starvation and hunger-related diseases are claiming hundreds of lives daily, making the WFP’s mission all the more urgent. Yet, according to the August 30 report by the agency’s Regional Emergency Coordination (REC) team, the organization has struggled to scale its operations effectively.
The five-page "REC Diagnostic Report" cites several operational shortcomings, including:
Unrealistic Aid Targets: Initial plans to reach 8.4 million people were deemed overly ambitious, with projections indicating that only about 50% of the current plan might be achieved by October 2024. High Operational Costs: Agreements with local food-distribution partners involved steep expenses, with some partners achieving less than 5% of their distribution goals. Delayed Fraud Investigations: Nearly 200 pending or overdue cases of alleged fraud and corruption were reported, posing risks to the WFP’s reputation and effectiveness.
The report also critiques the WFP’s lack of preparedness for the rapid escalation of the crisis in Sudan, which has damaged the organization’s standing with major donors, including the United States.
WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau acknowledged the challenges but emphasized that improvements are underway. Speaking from Cairo, Skau admitted the agency was initially slow to respond but stated that new leadership, enhanced strategies, and a fleet of 700 trucks are now bolstering operations.
“The WFP is now doing everything possible to address the crisis,” Skau said, adding that cash-based assistance had reached over 2 million people in Sudan this year. While Skau refrained from commenting on the specifics of the report, he underscored the importance of honest internal assessments to drive improvement.
The REC team’s findings come amid a funding crunch for the WFP, which is seeking billions of dollars to tackle hunger crises globally. The organization’s credibility has been further strained by past incidents of food aid theft in countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, and Yemen.
In Sudan, the WFP is also dealing with allegations of misconduct by two senior officials. An internal investigation, linked to issues highlighted in the REC report, remains ongoing.
A two-page action plan, dated September 23, outlines steps to address the challenges, including revising aid targets, rebuilding donor relationships, and clearing the backlog of fraud investigations. However, the road ahead remains fraught with obstacles, as the WFP balances its humanitarian mission with the need for accountability and efficient delivery.
The crisis in Sudan underscores the immense difficulties faced by global relief agencies operating in conflict zones. As the WFP works to regain trust and improve its response, the stakes for millions of lives remain critically high.