Sudan faces deepening humanitarian catastrophe: UN warns

CAIRO – 16 September 2025: Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing into the unknown as the humanitarian situation in Sudan deteriorates. The UN is warning of a worsening food crisis and the collapse of services, with a UN spokesperson stating that water transfers to the only hospital in Al-Fashir have been suspended after a wave of intense bombing.

The already dire humanitarian situation in Sudan has worsened, particularly in the city of Al-Fashir, which has seen a major collapse due to intense shelling. This has resulted in civilian casualties and a lack of access to accurate numbers. Food, medicine, and water supplies to the city's only functioning hospital have been cut off.

According to Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the United Nations, the humanitarian situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate rapidly. He noted that Al-Fashir has experienced a wave of heavy shelling and attacks, killing at least six civilians and injuring dozens, leading to further displacement.

Dujarric added that essential services in the city are collapsing due to continued hostilities and a lack of funding. Water trucking operations to the sole functioning hospital have been suspended for days, and community kitchens have closed after running out of supplies. He warned that the most vulnerable people face severe hunger and even more difficult conditions. Dujarric renewed the call for an end to the conflict in Sudan.

The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that the conflict has left 25 million people—nearly half of the total population—facing acute hunger. The WFP is being forced to withdraw support from some accessible areas due to a lack of funding and can only assist four million people per month, or just one in six of those in need. Millions of people are being deprived of life-saving aid as the program must prioritize those facing the most severe levels of hunger.

The WFP has warned that the crisis is heading towards another catastrophic peak with the onset of the lean season and a deepening hunger crisis this September, pushing millions of people into the abyss of extreme hunger.

A UN report stated that heavy rainfall and flash floods continue to displace people, destroy homes, and disrupt daily life. Over 4,000 people were displaced in a single day, with 550 homes destroyed in Al-Jazirah State. Many families are in urgent need of shelter and other basic assistance.

The report also noted that more than 800,000 people who returned to the city in recent months require urgent support to rebuild their lives. It called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian aid, and increased international support for life-saving operations throughout the country.

According to the office of the UN Special Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra has returned to Port Sudan after concluding consultations in Nairobi. He held constructive discussions with various Sudanese parties and key international interlocutors.

A statement from the envoy's office said, "We look forward to working closely with our regional UN partners, including the African Union, IGAD, and the Arab League, to resume efforts toward dialogue among the Sudanese parties."