Top diplomats meet in Paris to mobilize aid for Sudan

Sudan, ravaged by a yearlong conflict, teeters on the edge of famine as diplomats and aid groups convene in Paris to rally support.

The strife erupted last April between the military and paramilitary forces, plunging Khartoum and the nation into chaos.

With 24 million Sudanese in need, the UN's $2.7 billion humanitarian appeal remains largely unmet, leaving millions vulnerable.

The United States and Saudi Arabia initially led efforts to find a negotiated way out of the conflict. But the efforts didn't succeed, and since October the fighting has been overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which is threatening to expand to a broader regional conflict.

Relief workers, meanwhile, warn that Sudan is hurtling towards an even larger-scale calamity of starvation, with potential mass death in the coming months. Food production and distribution networks have broken down and aid agencies are unable to reach the worst-stricken regions.

The conflict has also been marked by widespread reports of atrocities including killings, displacement and rape, particularly in the area of the capital and the western region of Darfur.

At least 37% of the population at crisis level or above suffer from hunger, according to OCHA. Save the Children warned that about 230,000 children, pregnant women and newborn mothers could die of malnutrition in the coming months.

Nearly 9 million people have been forced to flee their homes either to safer areas inside Sudan or to neighbouring countries, according to the United Nations.

The military, headed by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, have carved up Khartoum and trade indiscriminate fire at each other. In 2021, Burhan and Dagalo were uneasy allies who led a military coup. They toppled an internationally recognized civilian government that was supposed to steer Sudan's democratic transition.