At least nine million people in Sudan urgently need humanitarian assistance in what could compound the economic situation of a country struggling to sustain a transitional government.
The latest situational report from UN relief agencies shows the global body with partners have only been able to serve half of this number, citing local challenges.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Khartoum said the number of people in need of aid in Sudan during the current year increased to 9.3 million, compared to 5.4 million in 2015.
In a bulletin, OCHA’s local office in Khartoum said by end of last year, an estimated 8.5 million required relief aid.
The announcement comes just as Sudan fights an economic crisis that has seen a deficit of about $1.6 billion and an inflation that has seen the cost of basic commodities rise every month.
Most of those in need of humanitarian assistance are in conflict-hit regions like Darfur and the southern border with South Sudan, where several South Sudanese refugees had crossed over.
