Emergency food aid from Ukraine arrives in war-torn Sudan

A shipment of wheat donated by Ukraine to the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) Sudan operation has arrived in Port Sudan and is being loaded onto WFP trucks for emergency food distributions. This in-kind food donation will be a core part of food rations provided to one million conflict-affected people in Sudan for one month.

The shipment – part of Ukraine’s humanitarian ‘Grain from Ukraine’ initiative launched by President Zelensky – was made possible by the German Federal Foreign Office, which covered entire operating costs of EUR €15 million. This includes the transportation costs of the wheat from Ukraine to Sudan and the implementation and distribution within the country to people in need.

As the war raging across the country enters its tenth month, WFP is working around the clock to urgently deliver critical food assistance to families in Sudan who are struggling with skyrocketing food insecurity.

 “The humanitarian situation in Sudan is catastrophic but we need to act now to stop it from spiralling further out of control,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP’s Country-Director in Sudan.   “WFP is working at pace to get food assistance into the hands of families that need it as quickly as possible.”

The 7,600 tonnes of wheat flour will be provided to families, many of whom have fled their homes due to the fighting and are struggling every day to meet their food needs. This donation has arrived at a critical time in Sudan’s hunger crisis as fighting continues to spread ahead of the lean season in May, when food typically becomes scarcer, and hunger rises.

“This donation will enable WFP to support people whose lives have been completely upended by the war. We are deeply grateful to the Ukraine and Germany for supporting the Sudanese people in their greatest hour of need,” said Rowe.

Germany is WFP’s second largest donor and has been a steadfast supporter of WFP’s life-saving and life-changing work in Sudan. In 2023, the Foreign Office provided EUR €29.24 million to WFP operations in Sudan, ensuring vital food assistance reaches people trapped by conflict.

WFP has been warning of a looming hunger catastrophe as the lean season approaches if civilians do not receive food assistance. Currently nearly 18 million people face acute food insecurity in Sudan, of which nearly 5 million are in emergency levels of hunger (IPC4). WFP has already provided around 7 million people with emergency food and nutrition support since the conflict began last April, yet needs continue to grow.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).