Sudan’s Overlooked Descent into the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis

Sudan has become the epicenter of the world’s largest — yet most ignored — humanitarian disaster. Since the outbreak of war in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), over 12 million people have been displaced, including 4 million who fled abroad. Most are women and children, many uprooted multiple times, arriving with nothing and receiving little or no aid.

“This is the largest displacement and humanitarian crisis in the world,” said Daniel P. Sullivan of Refugees International. “More than half the population faces severe food insecurity, with famine already underway in several areas.”

Sudan is also fragmenting politically. The RSF has declared a rival government across Darfur and parts of Kordofan, while the SAF holds Khartoum and central and eastern regions. Analysts warn this could lead to a Libya-style power split or a formal partition, similar to South Sudan’s secession.

Inside Sudan, the health system has collapsed, water is contaminated, and aid is blocked. Cholera is spreading, and starvation is claiming children’s lives. Aid groups accuse both the SAF and RSF of weaponizing food and medicine, obstructing relief efforts, and exploiting humanitarian corridors.

In East Darfur’s Lagawa camp, at least 13 children have died from malnutrition. UNICEF recorded a 46% rise in severe child malnutrition in Darfur from January to May, with famine declared in several regions. Ethnic violence in Darfur has reignited genocide allegations.

Those who escape face harsh conditions abroad. Refugees in Egypt struggle for legal status, work, and healthcare, while camps in Chad and South Sudan are overcrowded and underfunded. In Libya and the Central African Republic, many fall prey to smugglers and armed groups.

International attention remains minimal, with donor fatigue and budget cuts leaving grassroots Sudanese groups — such as Emergency Response Rooms — carrying the response. These volunteer networks, often targeted by both warring sides, lack funding and face constant security threats.

“It feels like the international community is only present in words,” said Sudan researcher Elena Habersky. “Most real work is by refugee-led and community efforts, despite the danger.”

Without urgent global action, Sudan’s crisis will deepen — unseen, underfunded, and unresolved.

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