East Africa Hunger Crisis: Concern's Response

For years, communities across the Horn of Africa have endured recurrent humanitarian crises stemming from a combination of factors such as conflict, food insecurity, displacement, and the profound effects of climate change.Countries in this region, including Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and parts of Sudan and South Sudan, have experienced challenges in providing necessities like food, water, and healthcare to their populations. There are high levels of food insecurity across the region, with the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) continuing to grow. 

On April 15, 2023, violent clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s capital of Khartoum sparked a nationwide conflict that has quickly become one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Over a year later, nearly half of the country’s population requires some form of humanitarian assistance and the situation shows no signs of improving. In March of 2024, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that the country will soon be the site of the world’s worst hunger crisis. 

Conflict and political instability play significant roles in exacerbating humanitarian needs in the region. Armed conflicts disrupt livelihoods, displace populations, and strain resources, making it difficult for humanitarian organizations to access affected communities and provide aid.There is a domino effect of humanitarian crises created by conflicts. Our multi-faceted response to this complex crisis includes: 

• Supporting healthcare facilities 

• Providing emergency cash transfers 

• Mainstreaming protection services for children 

• Providing cholera response kits and related supplies 

• Providing medical supplies and medicine, including RUTF 

• Distribution of food kits 

• Cash support  

We work with local partners and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) in response to various emergency situations in Sudan. Our team completes comprehensive needs assessments in partnership with local community stakeholders and provides non-food item (NFI) kits. These distributions may include items like plastic sheeting for shelter, cooking utensils and mosquito nets. Our team in West Darfur successfully moved ten tons of medical supplies to equip health centers with vital medicines, vaccines, equipment, and PPE. We've also expanded our health and nutrition programs to the Red Sea state, operating two mobile clinics with the aim of reaching tens of thousands of people with vital medical support. 

The ongoing war in Sudan continues to worsen an already existing humanitarian crisis and affect millions. As we enter the summer months of 2024, over 10.7 million people have fled the ongoing war in Sudan, including 1.7 million into neighboring countries like Chad and South Sudan– despite these countries also facing major challenges of their own. Many of those forced to flee the violence have found themselves caught between a war and a flood.  

“The situation in northern South Sudan is dire, exacerbated by the continuous influx of refugees from neighboring Sudan, where conflict rages unabated,” said Concern’s South Sudan Country Director, Zlatko Gegic. 

Humanitarian organizations, including Concern Worldwide, UN agencies, and local organizations, work tirelessly to provide emergency relief, food aid, healthcare, and support for livelihoods to those affected by these crises in the Horn of Africa. However, challenges persist due to ongoing conflicts, logistical difficulties, and funding shortages. We continue to grapple with new challenges as they arise and remain steadfast in our commitment to uplift vulnerable communities across the region, but the truth is that we need as much support as we can get.