Sudan displaced population faces shelter crisis as aid supplies run out

Millions of displaced civilians in Sudan face the prospect of living without basic emergency shelter due to critical funding gaps and exhausted supply reserves, two United Nations agencies have warned.

In a joint statement released on Friday, the UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration reported that approximately 15.4 million people in Sudan require emergency housing and essential domestic goods. However, persistent shortfalls in financial support have restricted aid operations to targeting only about 10 percent of that population.

Relief workers have so far managed to assist roughly 936,000 individuals, leaving a massive deficit in support across the conflict-ridden country. Humanitarian officials noted that having secure lodging and standard household items is critical for vulnerable groups, including women and children, offering essential protection and an initial foundation for families attempting to recover.

Sudan currently faces the largest displacement emergency worldwide. Since fighting erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, an estimated 8.6 million people have been forced from their homes within the national borders. Additionally, over 4.6 million individuals have sought refuge in neighboring countries. While more than 5.2 million displaced people have attempted to return to their original communities, they frequently encounter ruined infrastructure, demolished residences, and absent public utilities.

The agencies stressed that while they continue collaborating with domestic aid groups to maintain distribution channels and place supplies in high-need locations, these operations cannot persist without dependable, adaptable donations.

Mohamed Refaat, the head of the International Organization for Migration in Sudan, described the strain on current operations while speaking from Khartoum. He stated that although the agency delivered upwards of 40,000 tonnes of supplies over the course of the year, its storage facilities have now run completely dry.

Refaat cautioned that internal displacement figures could climb once more, even with some populations returning home. Because available resources have fallen short, aid groups have been forced to lower their operational targets. Both organizations appealed for immediate international contributions to restock emergency reserves and prevent humanitarian conditions from deteriorating further.