The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning that food assistance for millions of Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries could cease within two months unless urgent funding is secured. Over 4 million refugees who have fled Sudan’s ongoing civil war and are now sheltering in Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Libya are at risk of losing access to critical food supplies due to a \$200 million funding shortfall.

Shaun Hughes, emergency coordinator for WFP, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that current funding levels are insufficient to sustain operations beyond August. Without additional contributions, the agency will be forced to reduce or completely halt rations, leaving millions vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition.

The humanitarian crisis stems from a devastating conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023. The war has displaced nearly 13 million people, both internally and across borders, and has severely disrupted food production and aid distribution within Sudan. As a result, around 25 million people inside the country—more than half the population—are now facing acute food insecurity, with nearly 637,000 individuals in famine-like conditions.

The effects are particularly dire in areas around Khartoum and the Darfur region, where famine-level hunger has been reported. In refugee camps such as Zamzam in North Darfur, food rations have already been cut by 30 percent, and essential nutritional supplements for children have been suspended. Aid convoys have come under attack, with a recent incident in North Darfur killing five humanitarian workers and destroying a dozen trucks filled with food supplies.

In neighboring Chad, which hosts a large number of Sudanese refugees, the United Nations’ aid appeal has only been 13 percent funded. Similar funding shortfalls exist in other host countries. The WFP says an additional \$500 million is needed to continue relief operations inside Sudan over the next six months.

Humanitarian agencies are also grappling with deteriorating conditions in transit points such as Adre in Chad, where new arrivals lack basic necessities, and local communities are overstretched. In Uganda and Ethiopia, refugee populations continue to grow as more Sudanese flee the conflict, placing additional strain on already limited resources.

WFP officials are calling on international donors to urgently scale up contributions to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. The agency also stressed the need for secure humanitarian corridors and guarantees for the safety of aid workers in conflict zones.

If immediate action is not taken, the ongoing crisis could escalate into one of the worst regional famines in decades, endangering the lives of millions of Sudanese people and refugees who have already endured more than a year of violence and displacement.