The World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Tuesday that its food trucks have delivered aid to the famine-hit Zamzam camp in North Darfur for the first time in months.
“These are the first WFP food items that we have been able to transport into the camp in many months, carrying emergency food aid for 12,500 people,” said Leni Kinzli, WFP spokesperson, during a press briefing in Geneva.
While the delivery represents only a fraction of the urgent needs in Zamzam, Kinzli described it as a vital symbol of hope. She confirmed that over 700 trucks carrying WFP food supplies are currently en route to famine-affected and at-risk areas across Sudan.
“In total, the trucks will carry about 17,500 tons of food assistance, enough to feed 1.5 million people for one month,” she said. The scale-up effort targets 14 critical areas experiencing or at risk of famine, aiming to reach isolated communities in the war-torn nation.
Kinzli appealed to all parties involved in Sudan’s ongoing conflict to ensure the safe passage of aid convoys.
Since September, the WFP has reportedly provided food assistance to an average of two million people per month across Sudan, despite significant logistical and security challenges.
Sudan has been gripped by conflict since April 2023, when clashes erupted between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The violence has claimed over 20,000 lives and displaced nearly 10 million people, according to the United Nations.
The fighting, which has now spread to 13 of Sudan’s 18 states, has exacerbated food shortages, pushing millions to the brink of starvation. The UN and global organisations have repeatedly called for an end to the conflict to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.
