The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that more than 4 million Sudanese refugees—displaced by civil war since April 2023—are at acute risk of hunger in host countries including Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Uganda, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.

According to a WFP statement on Monday, many families arrive in neighboring countries with little more than the clothes they wear and are entirely reliant on aid to survive. The agency said it urgently needs over $775 million to continue food assistance operations for refugees and host communities through the next six months.

Cuts Force Families to Survive on a Quarter of Daily Needs

In Uganda, one of the hardest-hit countries, many refugees are surviving on less than 500 kilocalories a day—just a quarter of basic nutritional needs. WFP warns that new waves of displacement are overwhelming host nations that were already grappling with chronic food insecurity.

In Chad, which hosts about a quarter of all Sudanese refugees, WFP officials cautioned that assistance could cease entirely within months unless new donor funds are secured.

“Most Vulnerable Will Starve,” Says WFP Official

WFP emergency coordinator Shoki Ouattara emphasized the urgency, stating: “Millions of Sudanese rely entirely on WFP support. Without new contributions, we will be forced to implement deeper cuts, leaving the most vulnerable—especially children—at risk of starvation and malnutrition.”

The agency highlighted alarming rates of acute malnutrition among Sudanese refugee children in reception centers across Uganda and South Sudan. Many were already undernourished before receiving any aid.