Khartoum: Sudan has marked one thousand days of conflict, a grim milestone as the country faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Aid agencies say the situation continues to worsen, with millions struggling to survive amid violence, hunger and the collapse of basic services.
According to Caritas Internationalis, more than 33.7 million people in Sudan now need urgent humanitarian assistance. This means nearly two out of every three people in the country are relying on help. Famine has been declared twice within the past year, underlining the scale of the emergency.
Years of fighting have severely damaged the health system. An estimated 70 to 80 percent of hospitals and healthcare facilities are no longer functioning. As a result, around 65 percent of the population has little or no access to medical care.
The food situation is equally alarming. Nearly 21.2 million people are facing acute food insecurity, making Sudan one of the largest hunger crises in the world. Since the conflict erupted in 2023, more than 15 million people have been displaced. Many are living in overcrowded and unsafe shelters, where disease and malnutrition are spreading rapidly.
Alistair Dutton, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis, said the suffering caused by the conflict is shocking. He warned that the repeated declaration of famine shows how deeply the crisis has taken hold and how urgently action is needed.
The situation has been made worse by sharp cuts in foreign aid. Reduced funding has limited the ability of humanitarian groups to deliver food, clean water and basic healthcare. Many essential programmes have been scaled back or stopped entirely.
Violence against women has also risen dramatically. Since December 2023, Caritas reports that requests for support services for women have increased by 288 percent. Survivors often lack access to medical care and psychological support. Despite this, programmes run by women for women receive less than two percent of the already underfunded Sudan Humanitarian Fund.
Caritas and its partners have felt the impact of global funding reductions firsthand. In the past, they provided safe drinking water, hygiene support and protection services to around half a million displaced people in White Nile State, supported by a grant from UNHCR. Such assistance is now increasingly difficult to sustain.
Dutton said local Caritas partners in Sudan face daily danger and overwhelming needs. As the war enters its thousandth day, he stressed that the international community must act urgently to help end the violence and ease the suffering.
Caritas Internationalis has voiced support for the Keep Eyes On Sudan campaign, which aims to draw global attention to the crisis and to ongoing efforts to deliver life saving aid. The organisation has also issued a set of recommendations to governments and international bodies.
These include stronger diplomatic engagement, especially through the UN Security Council, greater protection for civilians and aid workers, safe and rapid access for humanitarian assistance across the country, increased funding for local aid groups, and stronger regional cooperation.
Aid agencies warn that without immediate and sustained action, the crisis in Sudan will deepen further. They say the world must act now to prevent even greater catastrophe for the Sudanese people.