Government on Sunday denied the existence of famine in North
Darfur's Zamzam camp for internally displaced people that contradicts the
findings of a global food monitor. The famine review
committee said in a report on Thursday that famine confirmed
when acute malnutrition and mortality criteria are met is ongoing
in the camp and likely to persist until at least
October. The finding by the Committee of Food Security
experts linked to the globally recognized standard known as the
integrated food security phase classification is just the third time
. A famine classification has been made since the system
was set up 20 years ago and it comes after
more than 15 months of war between the Sudanese army
and the paramilitary rapid support forces. The conflict has
created the world's biggest internal displacement crisis and left half
the population around 25 million people in urgent need of
humanitarian aid. Earlier this year, aid agency Medecins
Sans Frontieres said that one child was dying every two
hours in the Zamzam camp. MSF said on Sunday
that it only had enough therapeutic food to treat malnourished
Children there for another two weeks. But also on
Sunday, Sudan's Federal Humanitarian Aid Commission said that talk
of famine was inaccurate. The government body said conditions
were not consistent with those that must be met to
declare famine experts. And United Nations officials say a
famine classification could trigger a un security Council resolution empowering
agencies to deliver aid across borders to those most in
need. However, Sudanese officials have said it could
be a pretext for international intervention in the country.
The Sudanese government blamed the rapid support forces for imposing
what it said was a blockade on North Darfur's capital
Al Fasha that has led to shortages of food and
aid. The On Friday declared a full solidarity with
the victims of the famine and repeated an offer to
work with the United Nations to facilitate the delivery of 00:02:21.179 --> aid.