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The Humanitarian Situation in Sudan
Background
In 2008, Sudan continues to cope with the effects of conflict, displacement, and insecurity countrywide. Since 2003, a
complex emergency in Sudan’s western region of Darfur has affected more than 4.5 million people, including nearly 2.5
million internally displaced persons (IDPs). In Darfur, fighting among armed opposition factions, the Sudanese Armed
Forces (SAF), militias, and ethnic groups is ongoing. According to the U.N., the clashes have displaced approximately
220,000 people within Darfur and to eastern Chad since January 2008.
The former Government of Sudan and the southern-based Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) continue to
implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) through the joint Government of National Unity (GNU). The
GNU was formed in 2005, the year the parties signed the CPA and officially ended more than two decades of conflict
between the north and the south. During the conflict, famine, fighting, and disease killed more than 2 million people,
forced an estimated 600,000 Sudanese to seek refuge in neighboring countries, and displaced 4 million others within
Sudan. The U.N. estimates that approximately 2.1 million people displaced during the conflict have returned to
Southern Sudan and the Three Areas of Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Abyei since 2005, taxing scarce resources
and weak infrastructure. In eastern Sudan, the GNU and the Eastern Front opposition coalition signed the Eastern
Sudan Peace Agreement in 2006, but the area remains underdeveloped and slow to recover from decades of conflict.
The U.S. Government (USG) is the largest bilateral donor to Sudan and has contributed more than $3 billion for
humanitarian programs in Sudan and eastern Chad since FY 2004. The USG continues to support the implementation
of the CPA and joins the international community in seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Darfur. On October
11, 2007, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Alberto M. Fernandez renewed the disaster declaration for the complex emergency in
Sudan for FY 2008.
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Estimated Numbers Affected | Source |
|---|
| Internally Displaced People in Sudan |
From Southern Sudan: 2.7 million
In Darfur: 2.47 million
In Eastern Sudan: 168,000 |
UNHCR (1)- Nov. 2007
OCHA(2) – July 2008
U.N. Sept. 2007 |
| Sudanese Refugees | From Darfur: 250,000
From Southern Sudan: 215,000
Returnees to Southern Sudan: 294,000 |
UNHCR – June 2008
UNHCR - Sept. 2008
UNHCR - Sept. 2008 |
| Refugees in Sudan |
From Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC, and others: 227,664 |
UNHCR – Aug 2008 |
| Humanitarian Funding Provided in FY 2008 | |
| USAID/OFDA(3) Assistance to Sudan and Eastern Chad | $144,224,974 |
| USAID/FFP(4) Assistance to Sudan and Eastern Chad | $570,170,600 |
| State/PRM(5) Assistance to Sudan and Eastern Chad | $115,662,456 |
| Total USAID and State Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan and Eastern Chad | $830,058,030 |
1 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
2 U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
3 USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
4 USAID’s Office of Food for Peace
5 U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Current Situation in Darfur
In September, insecurity continued to cause
displacement and impede humanitarian access to
populations in need. Fighting in North Darfur
significantly limited humanitarian access to newly
displaced populations and caused several agencies to
limit or suspend humanitarian programs in the area.
Despite restrictions due to insecurity and violence,
humanitarian agencies continue to provide critical
humanitarian assistance to flood- and conflict-affected
populations throughout Darfur.
Security and Humanitarian Access
In September, banditry targeting humanitarian staff
and U.N. forces hampered the provision of
humanitarian relief throughout Darfur. From January
to September 2008, bandits and armed assailants
hijacked 224 vehicles, attacked 139 humanitarian
facilities, and killed 11 humanitarian workers,
according to OCHA. As a result of fighting and
continuing violence in North Darfur, several
humanitarian agencies have limited or suspended
programs in the area, negatively affecting the
distribution of humanitarian aid to approximately
450,000 people. On August 27, U.N. World Food
Program (WFP) partner German Agro Action (GAA)
suspended food deliveries to 450,000 people in North
Darfur following attacks and threats against GAA staff
members. On September 17, the NGO Partner Aid
International (PAI) suspended programs in Khazan
Tungur village in North Darfur after armed groups
burned and looted four villages in the area, damaged a
PAI health clinic, and detained two PAI staff members.
PAI provides 20,000 individuals with medical care in
the Khazan Tungur area.
In early to mid-September, U.N. agencies and armed
opposition groups reported that Sudanese government
forces launched attacks in North Darfur. According to
armed opposition groups, the attacks targeted an
estimated 20 villages, including Disa and Birmaza
villages north of Kutum town and Tarny, Tabit, and
Khazan Tungur villages near El Fasher. Based on
initial estimates, up to 20,000 people fled from villages
in the Tabit area towards the Fanga area, West Darfur,
and an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 fled Disa and
Birmaza. According to the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC), the majority of the displaced
individuals are seeking refuge in villages, while some
IDPs have sought shelter in mountain and forest areas,
with limited access to food and shelter.
Due to continued fighting and violence, humanitarian
agencies have not yet confirmed the exact number of
newly displaced individuals in North Darfur. In
addition, relief agencies report that insecurity has
limited humanitarian aid distributions to affected
populations. As of October 2, the U.N.–African Union
Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) had not established a
presence in the area due to continuing security
concerns. UNAMID attempted to visit Disa and
Birmaza villages to assess the security situation, but
attacks on UNAMID helicopters prevented UNAMID
from reaching the area. Since August, unknown
assailants have fired on at least four UNAMID
helicopters, killing four people. Sudanese government
forces have denied any military activity in North
Darfur, stating that the increased SAF presence was
due to soldiers securing roads to support food aid
convoys.
In September, insecurity in Zam Zam IDP camp in
North Darfur temporarily limited access to the
displaced populations in the camp. According to the
U.N., SAF personnel entered the market area of Zam
Zam, shooting indiscriminately and looting camp
structures on September 10. According to an OCHA,
International Organization for Migration (IOM), and
WFP assessment of the camp, approximately 535
households fled during the attack, including 475
children. The agencies expect that the displaced
population will return in coming weeks, as most
residents remained near the camp. As of September
16, the situation in Zam Zam had calmed, allowing
NGOs to resume programs in the camp.
Food Security and Nutrition
On September 7, WFP issued a press release
condemning attacks on trucks delivering WFP food
assistance to conflict-affected populations in Darfur
and warned that continued insecurity could force WFP
to suspend operations in some areas of Darfur. As of
September 9, approximately 69 trucks and 43 drivers
remained missing following more than 100 hijackings
of WFP-contracted trucks in 2008. The increase in
attacks on WFP-contracted vehicles and WFP partner
staff during 2008 has already resulted in decreased
coverage for food aid distributions. In May, attacks on
food aid convoys prompted a temporary 50 percent
ration cut for 3 million beneficiaries. In July, 50,000
individuals did not receive food aid due to insecurity.
WFP noted that successful food aid distributions are
critical during the September pre-harvest hunger gap
period, when rural communities typically have
exhausted the last harvest’s food supplies.
Floods
Heavy rains in September caused damage in North,
South, and West Darfur. In South Darfur, rains in
Buram locality near Nyala affected 196 households,
damaged 58 shelters, and caused 148 latrines to
collapse. In West Darfur, a GNU Office of Water and
Environmental Sanitation (WES), U.N. Children’s
Fund (UNICEF), and NGO assessment indicated that
rains destroyed 1,441 shelters, caused 334 latrines to
collapse, and contaminated 5 wells in Um Kheir IDP
camp. In North Darfur, floods in Dar al Salam
destroyed latrines, shelters, and schools and limited
access to food. The U.N. Joint Logistics Center is
coordinating the distribution of emergency relief
supplies to populations affected by the flooding.
Health
In September, the World Health Organization (WHO)
continued to report a high incidence of acute jaundice
syndrome (AJS) in South Darfur. From September 6
to 12, health officials reported 46 AJS cases, compared
to 24 in the previous week. Despite high numbers of
AJS cases in September, the situation has slightly
improved since the first week of August, when WHO
reported 67 AJS cases in South Darfur. WHO is
coordinating health and hygiene promotion activities in
South Darfur to control the disease, particularly among
new arrivals in South Darfur IDP camps.
CURRENT SITUATION IN SUDAN,
EXCLUDING DARFUR
In September, humanitarian agencies responded to
localized flooding in Southern Sudan and the Three
Areas and provided assistance to refugees in Western
Equatoria State. In response to food security concerns,
USAID field staff conducted field visits to Kassala
State in eastern Sudan to monitor the humanitarian
situation.
Security and Humanitarian Access
In September, U.N. agencies and Sudan People’s
Liberation Army (SPLA) forces reported insecurity
along the Sudan–Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) border due to suspected Lord’s Resistance
Army (LRA) attacks. According to the U.N., a
suspected LRA attack on an SPLA post in Sakure
payam, Western Equatoria State, in mid-September
triggered displacement of an unconfirmed number of
people from Sakure. Following the attacks, U.N.
agencies and international media reported widespread
looting, burning of houses, and child abductions. LRA
officials deny involvement in the attack.
Floods
According to OCHA, localized flooding continues to
affect Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, and
Warab states in Southern Sudan, as well as Blue Nile
and Southern Kordofan states in the Three Areas.
According to U.N. agencies, at least 69 children have
died from malnutrition and disease following flooding
in August and September in Blue Nile State that
affected more than 1,200 individuals and contaminated
water sources. On September 25, the U.N. reported
that impassible roads and lack of air transport are
preventing humanitarian organizations from accessing
affected populations and delivering food and
emergency relief supplies. Humanitarian organizations
have expressed concern regarding food security among
populations in Blue Nile due to the impact of floods on
crops and seeds. Health officials have also reported
increasing cases of water-borne diseases due to
insufficient access to safe drinking water. As of
September 25, medical staff had reported 21 acute
watery diarrhea (AWD) cases and six AWD-related
deaths in Blue Nile since the beginning of September.
In response, the Blue Nile State Ministry of Health and
WES plan to chlorinate water sources, monitor water
quality, and promote hygiene activities in the coming
weeks. USAID supports agriculture and food security,
economy and market systems, health, logistics, and
water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in Blue Nile
targeting approximately 750,000 individuals.
Food Security and Nutrition
In September, a USAID-funded Famine Early Warning
Systems Network (FEWS NET) report indicated that
flooding and insecurity continue to negatively affect
food security conditions in Southern Sudan.
According to FEWS NET, high food insecurity persists
in Aweil West, North, East, and South counties,
Northern Bahr el Ghazal State; Gogrial and Twic
counties, Warab State; Nyirol and Wuror counties,
Jonglei State; and Akobo county, Upper Nile State.
In September, relief organizations expressed concern
regarding food security in rural areas and IDP sites in
Kassala State, eastern Sudan. In early August and
mid-September, USAID field staff conducted two field
visits to Kassala to monitor food security in the area.
According to USAID staff, the food security situation
in Kassala began to improve in September after
deteriorating in July and August. Humanitarian
agencies attribute the improvement to early September
rains, which revived pasture and enabled farmers to
cultivate crops, in addition to the stabilization of
sorghum prices. According to field reports, the local
strategic reserve released approximately 7,500 metric
tons (MT) of sorghum, which increased local supply
and stabilized sorghum prices. Despite recent
improvements, relief agencies report that local
purchasing power remains low, particularly in rural
areas where limited access and transportation costs
result in increased prices. USAID partner GOAL is
monitoring the food security situation in Kassala,
noting that food security continues to be precarious but
has not reached emergency levels.
Population Movements
On September 27, UNHCR reported that suspected
LRA attacks during the week of September 15 in the
Dungu area of northeastern DRC caused
approximately 1,200 individuals to flee to Gangura and
Sakure payams, Western Equatoria State. Relief
agencies expressed concern over the refugee
settlements’ proximity to the Sudan–DRC border and a
suspected LRA encampment approximately 9 miles
away in DRC. According to the Southern Sudan
Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, additional
refugees fled to Yambio town, but relief agencies have
not yet confirmed the number of displaced persons in
Yambio. According to the U.N., the displaced are in
urgent need of food, medical assistance, and shelter.
In response, Médecins Sans Frontières/Spain has
treated wounded refugees and provided clinic services
in Sakure and Gangura, and UNICEF has provided
emergency relief supplies. UNHCR is also sending an
emergency team to the area to support the relief effort
and monitor the situation.
On August 31, the U.N. Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
Protection of Civilians unit reported that the Misseriya
ethnic group has migrated through the Abu Junuk–Al
Sunut area of northwestern Southern Kordofan State
without serious incident. In 2007, interethnic violence
during the migration season killed 60 civilians. The
area has a history of tension between the Nuba Ajang
of Abu Junuk and the Misseriya of Al Sunut, stemming
from conflict over land ownership and grazing rights.
USAID/OFDA has included Southern Kordofan in an
ongoing initiative to provide water programs in the
North–South border zone linked to regional peace
initiatives.
Health
In September, health organizations continued to report
suspected cases of cholera in Northern Bahr el Ghazal
State. During the week of September 7, GOAL and
WHO reported suspected cholera cases in Aweil,
Northern Bahr el Ghazal, with a significant increase in
cases concentrated in the Akot area. Since late July,
health workers have reported a total of 3,486 suspected
cholera cases and 6 cholera-related deaths in Aweil.
Increasing numbers of cholera cases in Aweil may be a
result of poor sanitary and hygiene conditions in areas
where large numbers of people settled following mid-
August floods. In response, UNICEF and NGOs are
working to improve water and sanitation in Northern
Bahr el Ghazal by chlorinating wells and constructing
boreholes and public latrines in affected areas.
According to USAID field staff, WHO and the
Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) Ministry of
Health have confirmed four polio cases in Southern
Sudan since the beginning of the year. In August,
medical staff confirmed a polio case in a child in Juba,
Central Equatoria State. Since January 1, 2008, WHO
and the GOSS Ministry of Health have also confirmed
polio cases in Ayod, Jonglei State; Nassir, Upper Nile
State; and Torit, Eastern Equatoria State. In response,
the GOSS, WHO, and UNICEF conducted a polio
campaign from September 25 to 27 in Central
Equatoria to immunize all children under five years of
age. Health partners are also implementing an
immunization program in Torit, Lopa, Magwi, and
Kapoeta counties in Eastern Equatoria, targeting
150,000 children under five years of age.
Returns
As of September 20, UNHCR had assisted the return
of more than 60,000 refugees to places of origin since
January 1, 2008, bringing the total number of
UNHCR-facilitated returns to more than 137,000 since
May 2005. In September, U.N. agencies and NGOs
began preparing for the resumption of organized
returns, scheduled to commence following the end of
the rainy season in late October. In 2009, UNCHR
plans to assist approximately 12,000 of the more than
26,000 Sudanese refugees living in Ethiopia to return
to Southern Sudan. According to UNHCR,
repatriation from Ethiopia has been slow, despite
refugees’ willingness to return, due to insecurity and
logistical challenges. As of September 21,
approximately 215,000 refugees from Southern Sudan
remained outside of the country, primarily in Uganda,
Kenya, and Ethiopia.
According to the UNMIS Returns, Reintegration, and
Recovery Section (UNMIS RRR), small numbers of
Abyei IDPs continue to return to Abyei town, despite
concerns regarding the security situation. In mid-
September, UNMIS RRR observed an estimated 5,000
people in Abyei town, compared to 3,000 individuals
in mid-August. Further reports estimate that up to
9,000 additional individuals may be residing in
surrounding villages, half of which had remained in
the area during the clashes and half of which are
returnees from areas south of the Kiir River. However,
according to an UNMIS RRR intention survey, only
one percent of displaced individuals surveyed
expressed a desire to return to the Abyei area in the
coming weeks. According to the survey, Abyei IDPs
may be reluctant to return to places of origin due to
concerns regarding security in Abyei, land acquisition
in IDP settlement areas, and disruption to education.
In mid-May, fighting between the SAF and the SPLA
in Abyei displaced approximately 50,000 individuals
and affected an additional 40,000 people in
surrounding communities.
USAID reconstruction programs support the establishment of a foundation for a just and durable peace with the broad participation of the Sudanese people. Activities focus on supporting the peace process, democracy and governance, education, health, and economic growth.
USAID humanitarian programs work to meet immediate needs while simultaneously transitioning to longer-term reconstruction and development activities in areas outside of Darfur. Priorities include assisting individuals displaced by conflict, providing basic services in traditionally underserved areas, and improving food security through increased agricultural production.
USAID food assistance accounted for over 80 percent of the commitments to the UN World Food Program in 2005, and supports ongoing programs with the Red Cross and other nongovernmental organizations. As the leading donor of food assistance to Sudan, USAID targets food aid commodities to the most vulnerable, with particular emphasis on women and children.
USAID Sudan Strategy Statement (pdf,469kb)
USAID Monthly Update - November 2007 (pdf,505kb)
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