Sudan food aid could run out as peace talks show scant progress

Nearly three years of fighting between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have left tens of thousands dead, 11 million displaced and repeated attempts at peace blocked.

Efforts led by the US and regional mediators -- Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, known as the Quad -- have failed to secure a ceasefire, as both sides wrestle for territorial gain.

A high-level meeting on Wednesday in Cairo brought together officials from the Quad countries, as well as the UN, European Union and regional organisations to discuss peace efforts, which have seen little progress.

"By the end of March, we will have depleted our food stocks in Sudan," said Ross Smith, the World Food Programme's Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

"Without immediate additional funding, millions of people will be left without vital food assistance within weeks."

According to the UN, more than 21 million people -- almost half of Sudan's population -- are now facing acute food insecurity, with two-thirds in urgent need of assistance.

The UN's children agency UNICEF said last week that millions of children have been pushed "to the brink of survival" and humanitarian aid remains "far from sufficient" amid funding shortfalls and ongoing hostilities.

- 'Absolute minimum' -

In December, outgoing UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said a wave of "drastic, irresponsible" aid cuts inflicted unnecessary suffering on those in need.

Smith said WFP has been forced to cut rations to the "absolute minimum for survival" and warned that previous "hard-earned gains" in hard-to-reach areas risk being reversed.

WFP says it urgently needs $700 million to continue its operations through June.

A UN-backed assessment confirmed last year that famine had taken hold in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which was overrun by the paramilitary forces in October.

On Wednesday, US senior advisor for Arab and African affairs Massad Boulos said the UN delivered more than 1.3 metric tons of humanitarian supplies to El-Fasher, the first such delivery since the city was besieged in May 2024.

But aid agencies warn that a deteriorating security situation across Darfur continues to jeopardise the delivery of desperately needed assistance.

Famine has also been confirmed in Kadugli, in neighbouring Kordofan, now a key battleground in the conflict.

In Dilling, around 130 kilometres (80 miles) north, the UN says civilians are likely experiencing famine conditions, though insecurity has prevented formal declaration.

The UN warned that 20 more areas across Darfur and Kordofan are at risk.

- Renewed peace talks -

In November, US President Donald Trump pledged to help end the conflict after Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman urged his intervention, but his promise has yet to materalise.

Quad-led talks have been deadlocked since army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said in November the group was biased towards the UAE, which Sudan accuses of arming the RSF.

Abu Dhabi denies the accusations, despite reports from UN experts, US lawmakers and international organisations.

In Egypt, historically the Sudanese army's closest ally, the UN Secretary General's Sudan envoy Ramtane Lamamra met Wednesday with Boulos and other diplomats as part of the fifth meeting of the Consultative Mechanism to Enhance and Coordinate Peace Efforts.

Lamamra called it "a key and timely opportunity for international actors to align efforts and renew collective engagement", but a diplomatic source told AFP there are no new truce proposals currently on the table.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Wednesday that there was a consensus on a humanitarian truce and the rejection of "foreign interference".

But he also emphasised what he described as Egypt's "red lines" and readiness to defend its southern neighbour's territorial integrity.