In reaction to today's announcement by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) that famine conditions are prevalent in parts of North Darfur in Sudan, Yusuf Roble, Regional Director for Islamic Relief in East Africa, says:
“This is the awful news we’ve been dreading. Sudan is now the world's biggest hunger crisis and aid agencies have been warning about the threat of famine for months, but these warnings have been ignored by the world. This wasn’t inevitable, it is the consequence of apathy and neglect. It is a shameful stain on the world’s conscience that despite the clear warnings, nowhere near enough has been done to stop young children starving to death.
“Famine conditions have been announced in one area but we need to stop it spreading even further. In our work in nutrition clinics across Darfur and other parts of Sudan, we see rising numbers of children needing treatment. It is not too late for them, but time is running out. Aid workers and local community groups are doing everything we can to stop this, but we urgently need more support.
“International governments have not delivered on their promises of funding, while the warring parties continue to impede humanitarian access to desperate civilians. Ultimately this famine is driven by the war, and we need the international community to step up pressure to get warring parties to agree a ceasefire before many more people die.”