World Food Programme: Hundreds of Food Trucks on Their Way to Those in Need
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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that over 700 trucks loaded with food aid are en route to those in need across Sudan, including 14 locations identified as famine-prone due to severe food insecurity.
In June, three UN agencies—WFP, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and UNICEF—warned of the rapid deterioration in the living conditions of the Sudanese people, particularly children, as food security collapsed amid the ongoing war that has gripped the country for over a year.
WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain emphasized during a recent visit to Port Sudan the urgent need for safe and sustained access to food to prevent famine and address a crisis that risks becoming one of the worst hunger emergencies in modern history.
These convoys mark an expansion of WFP operations in Sudan as part of efforts to reach millions of people in the country’s most isolated and vulnerable areas.
The trucks are carrying approximately 17,500 metric tons of food aid, enough to feed 1.5 million people for one month. Since September, WFP has been providing food assistance to an average of 2 million people each month across Sudan, a figure expected to rise with this latest effort.
WFP confirmed that its first convoy of food aid had reached Zamzam Camp in North Darfur, previously declared a famine zone, while additional convoys are en route to other areas.
Laurent Bukera, WFP’s Regional Director for East Africa, stated, “WFP is working to reach all conflict-affected and isolated areas across Sudan.” He added, “The team in Sudan is working around the clock to ensure families receive the life-saving food they need to survive. Success is crucial if we are to reverse the famine trajectory in one of the world’s worst hunger crises.”
Bukera also highlighted, “These trucks carry more than just food; they deliver a lifeline to people caught in the crossfire of conflict and hunger. We urgently need safe passage for our trucks and sustained international support to reach every vulnerable family.”
Sudan now accounts for half of the global population facing catastrophic hunger. An estimated 4.7 million children under five, along with pregnant and breastfeeding women, suffer from acute malnutrition, underscoring the necessity for uninterrupted aid delivery and sustained international assistance.
Due to fighting around El Fasher in North Darfur and road disruptions caused by the rainy season, WFP relied on locally sourced food supplies to feed 100,000 people in the camp during September and October.
WFP reported that it has reached 7 million people in Sudan and aims to support over 8 million of the country’s hungriest by the end of 2024.
The agency welcomed the recent decision by Sudanese authorities to extend the opening of the Adré border crossing for three months, facilitating humanitarian shipments from Chad into Sudan. WFP reiterated its call for all border crossings into Sudan to remain open and fully operational to ensure life-saving aid can reach those who need it most.
