Aid Returns to Darfur After Border Reopening

Food deliveries have recommenced in Sudan's famine-threatened Darfur region following the reopening of the Adre border crossing, which had been closed for six months. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced that the first convoy of trucks carrying essential supplies arrived from Chad, targeting 13,000 individuals in Kereneik who are at immediate risk of famine. The WFP has prepared food and nutrition supplies for approximately 500,000 people, ready to be transported through the newly accessible route. The civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to a humanitarian crisis, with over 10 million people displaced and at least 18,000 fatalities reported. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has indicated that more than half of Sudan's population now faces acute hunger, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian assistance. The reopening of the Adre crossing provides a more direct and efficient route for aid delivery, allowing trucks to reach critical distribution points within a day. Prior to this, the WFP had only managed to send two convoys through Adre, relying on longer and more perilous routes that often traversed conflict zones controlled by various militia groups. In response to international pressure, the Sudanese government agreed to open key border crossings for humanitarian aid. The Sovereign Council announced the temporary reopening of the Adre crossing for three months, following its closure in February due to allegations of weapon smuggling. Currently, 26 million people in Sudan are in need of assistance, underscoring the scale of the crisis.