Norwegian NGO deplores int'l community ignoring 'countdown to famine' in Sudan

By Nur Asena Erturk

A Norwegian non-governmental organization Friday deplored that the “world ignores countdown to famine” in Sudan.

More than 20 million people have been suffering from violence, hunger, and forced displacement for a year and a half, Norwegian Refugee Council’s Secretary-General Jan Egeland said in a statement.

“Twenty years ago, we had presidents and prime ministers engaged to stop atrocities in Darfur. There are today many times as many lives at stake – this is the world’s worst crisis – but we are met with deafening silence. We must wake up the world before famine engulfs a generation of children,” Egeland said.

He noted that over “2,500 people were killed and more than 250,000 people newly displaced” last month alone, and described the situation and starvation as a “man-made tragedy.”

Egeland warned against “a freefall into starvation and suffering” in the country, and criticized the international community for “delayed action and insufficient diplomatic efforts,” and for a “critically underfunded” humanitarian response.

Since mid-April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has left more than 20,000 people dead and displaced over 11 million, according to the UN.

International calls are growing for an end to the conflict, which has driven millions toward famine and death amid severe food shortages across 13 of Sudan's 18 states.