SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: New York Review of Books - Sudan Starves, by Joshua Craze, Kholood Khair and Raga Makawi

23/6/2024: New York Review of Books - Sudan Starves, by Joshua Craze, Kholood Khair and Raga Makawi    

Sudan faces “the largest famine the world has seen for at least forty years,” but the UN’s deference to the army (SAF) for authorisation hampers humanitarian efforts argue Joshua Craze, Kholood Khair and Raga Makawi.

With SAF restricting cross-border aid delivery into territory held by the Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF), they call for the UN to relocate operations to a regional capital outside SAF control, establish cross-border hubs in Chad and South Sudan, and directly engage with local forces, including the RSF.

The authors also suggest the World Food Programme (WFP) unilaterally declare a famine, despite SAF's objections, to unlock more funding and pressure for humanitarian access to RSF-held areas.

Despite the UN’s fears of expulsion, the authors note its leverage as “the [WFP] is too big to expel” given SAF’s reliance on it to feed its territory and maintain support.