UN says 34M in Sudan will require assistance in 2026, 'highest' globally

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Friday said that nearly 34 million people in Sudan will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, marking the "highest number of people in need anywhere in the world."

"Sudan, as you know, the conflict in that country has pushed humanitarian needs to extraordinary levels," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, adding: "Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that nearly 34 million people will require aid in 2026."

"This is the highest number of people needing assistance anywhere in the world," he added.

Noting that "This year, the humanitarian community is calling for $2.9 billion to reach more than 20 million people facing the most catastrophic needs," he said the funding would help provide food, clean water, nutrition, health care, protection and education services.

Dujarric also warned that aid workers continue to "face grave dangers."

"In recent months, 92 aid workers, mostly Sudanese, have been killed, injured or kidnapped or detained, and more than 65 attacks on health care workers and patients were also recorded," he said.

He stressed that delivering aid at scale requires flexible funding and guaranteed humanitarian access to ensure workers can reach those in need safely and without obstruction.

Sudan has been locked in a bloody conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, killing tens of thousands, displacing 13 million people, and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to UN reports.