The surging conflict in Sudan has catalyzed a significant exodus of people seeking safety in neighboring Chad. As of the latest figures, around 150,000 people have crossed the Chadian border, a number that is constantly on the rise. The flood of new arrivals is exerting tremendous strain on Chad, a nation that already hosts one of the largest refugee populations in central Africa. Over 1 million people are forcibly displaced within its borders, with Sudanese refugees comprising nearly half. Such a sudden influx of refugees is significantly escalating the humanitarian needs in Chad, where nearly 7 million people already require assistance. This rapid escalation has ignited global concern, triggering an urgent call to action from the EU and the UN.
EU Humanitarian Response
The EU, together with its humanitarian partners, is actively working to respond to this massive influx of Sudanese refugees. Aiming to alleviate the situation, the EU launched a Humanitarian Air Bridge to N’Djamena, delivering critical supplies for humanitarian partners assisting the refugees at the border. A second flight landed in N’Djamena on June 15, bringing an additional 90 tonnes of supplies. To bolster its aid efforts, the EU has reallocated over €2 million to provide emergency relief to those affected by the crisis in Chad. Despite these initiatives, only 28% of the funding for the recent $130 million appeal has been received, putting the country under further strain. Experts from the EU Humanitarian Aid Field Office in N’Djamena and the headquarters in Brussels have been deployed to assess the on-ground situation better. The conditions they witnessed were harsh, with refugees surviving in extremely precarious circumstances.
UN’s Appeal For Access
Meanwhile, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, highlighted the difficulty of accessing the war-ravaged Darfur region, impeding efforts to deliver much-needed aid. She appealed for security agreements to ensure the safe movement of staff and aid delivery. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and UN’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF), among others, are collaboratively working to provide emergency assistance to the displaced.
The Human Cost
The condition of the displaced people is perilous, most having left behind their homes and loved ones, often bearing witness to violence and abduction. David Kerespars, the head of the EU’s humanitarian office in Chad, underscored that these refugees, the vast majority of whom are women and children, are entirely dependent on international aid for survival. Tragically, the city of el-Geneina, particularly, has seen the loss of at least 1,000 lives in new waves of attacks by Arab nomadic tribes with ties to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The violence has driven over 270,000 refugees across the border into Chad.
Logistic and Financial Challenges
The region’s transportation infrastructure is limited due to the scarcity of resources and the precarious state of the roads. Moreover, the imminent rainy season further exacerbates the logistical challenges. The border area is strewn with “wadis”, or dry riverbeds, that, during the rainy season, transform into streams and can remain uncrossable for days or weeks. This makes access even more difficult and sometimes impossible for extended periods, thus hampering relief efforts. The urgency of the situation has spurred humanitarian partners to expedite the movement of people as much as possible. However, the task ahead remains formidable.
The Human Story
The refugees arriving at the Chadian border paint a bleak picture of the circumstances they have escaped. Reports of entire cities being razed and families torn apart have emerged. Many of the refugees arriving are unaccompanied children who have been picked up by strangers along their treacherous journey. Adam Mohd Yousef, one of the thousands of Sudanese refugees crossing into Chad, recounts the loss of 22 members of his family, including 15 children, during the siege of el-Geneina. The human toll of the conflict, he says, is devastatingly apparent.
A Call for Global Intervention
With Sudan’s West Darfur state increasingly embroiled in conflict, thousands of desperate people continue to seek refuge in Chad, overwhelming the nation’s resources. The severity of the crisis demands concerted international action and significant funding to provide critical relief and ensure the safety of the refugees. As the conflict escalates and the situation in Sudan deteriorates further, the humanitarian crisis is only expected to deepen.
