Floods and Torrents Hamper Aid Delivery

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The United Nations has reported that floods and torrents in Sudan are obstructing the flow of aid, raising concerns about the spread of typhoid and cholera.

In a statement yesterday, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced that over 50 trucks carrying approximately 4,800 metric tons of food and nutritional assistance, enough for about 500,000 people, are stuck in various locations across Sudan. These trucks are unable to move towards their final destinations due to waterlogged and impassable roads.

The WFP had planned to reach half a million people with aid transported through the Tine border crossing this month. However, the aid trucks are currently stranded on the Chadian side, with heavy rainfall rendering the road largely impassable. Some trucks have been stuck for as long as two weeks or even a month.

The WFP has called for the opening of all border crossings into Sudan, including the reopening of the Adré (Chad) crossing into West Darfur, which was announced last week, and a formal agreement between South Sudan and Sudan to transport aid from the south to Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile.

The WFP stated that shifting frontlines and now severe flooding mean that it must constantly negotiate and secure new routes for aid convoys.

The UN program also warned of the spread of waterborne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid, resulting from the floods, noting that these diseases pose a significant threat, especially to malnourished children and women.

Sudan currently faces unprecedented levels of malnutrition, with 3.6 million children and 1.2 million pregnant or breastfeeding women affected.

Above-average rainfall is expected to continue through September, typically the peak of the rainy season. Some forecasts warn that the flooding may exceed the historic floods that struck Khartoum in 2020.

There is hope that the upcoming Geneva talks will provide a crucial opportunity for the international community to address the widespread operational challenges and access barriers directly with the warring parties that are hindering aid delivery.