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WFP suspends voucher programme in Zamzam camp amid violence; UN warns of looming starvation without aid
Summary
The World Food Programme suspended its voucher-based assistance in Sudan's Zamzam displacement camp after rising violence, and the UN said thousands could starve within weeks without immediate assistance.
The United Nations spokesperson said the World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended its voucher-based food assistance in Zamzam displacement camp in Sudan because of escalating violence that destroyed the camp's central market and forced evacuation of WFP partners.
The spokesperson said Zamzam hosts about half a million people and that famine conditions had previously been confirmed there. Since the recent escalation, partners have evacuated staff and WFP has managed to deliver only one convoy of humanitarian supplies into Zamzam despite repeated attempts, the spokesperson said.
Quoting WFP, the spokesperson warned that "without immediate assistance, thousands of desperate families in Zamzam could starve in the coming weeks." The vouchers had allowed families to buy staple foods such as cereal, pulses, oil and salt from local markets maintained with WFP support; the suspension removes that local purchasing mechanism.
The spokesperson said WFP continues to operate through local partners where possible but that the suspension underscores the severity of access and security constraints in the camp. The UN called on all parties to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access.
