Amman, May 16 (Petra) -- United Nations agencies have launched an urgent humanitarian appeal to assist 20.4 million people in Sudan, warning that the scale of human suffering continues to far outpace available international funding.

In a statement released on Saturday, the UN and its humanitarian partners announced they require $2.9 billion to deliver basic survival packages and life-saving assistance to the country's most vulnerable populations. However, the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan was only 20% funded as of April.

The severe funding shortfall has directly restricted the delivery of aid on the ground. While humanitarian organizations aim to reach 4.8 million people each month, inadequate resources and logistical challenges meant that only an estimated 3.13 million people received assistance in February.

The UN noted that the situation is being exacerbated by a compounding nutrition and food security crisis, leaving millions facing extreme deprivation. Aid groups are calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and expanded, unimpeded access to ensure that the required aid can be scaled up before conditions deteriorate further.

//Petra// AF

16/05/2026 21:04:10