El Obeid becomes the centre of Sudan’s hunger crisis, WFP warns

El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, is hosting hundreds of thousands of displaced people, possibly doubling the size of the city, WFP said on 17 July. Families have arrived from across Kordofan and Darfur.

Power cuts have disrupted water pumping and caused shortages of safe drinking water, and more than 30 new cholera cases have been recorded (WFP). Nearly 400,000 people in Sheikan, Bara and Gharb Bara districts face emergency levels of hunger (WFP).

Across Sudan, more than 19.5 million people are acutely food insecure, including about 770,000 in 14 places at risk of famine. WFP warned that its food stocks would be severely depleted by September without new funding (WFP).

Key figures

• Nearly 400,000 people at emergency level in and around El Obeid (WFP)
• More than 30 new cholera cases in El Obeid (WFP)
• About 770,000 people in 14 places at risk of famine (WFP)

Sources

• WFP: WFP warns El Obeid is becoming the new epicentre of Sudan’s displacement and hunger crisis (17 July 2026)

Photo: Waseem Lazkani / Pexels · Sudan