November 13, Port Sudan — On Wednesday, Sudan’s sovereign council announced that it will extend the opening of the Adre border crossing with Chad to deliver aid into Sudan.
The Adre crossing was closed by an order from the army-controlled government in February. It was then re-opened for three months in August until November 15. Prior to the council’s announcement, it was not clear whether the period would be extended.
Sudan is in vital need of the aid: over 25 million people, more than half the population, are facing acute hunger. Families have been forced to eat grass to survive, with famine-levels of malnutrition spreading across half of Sudan’s 18 states.
Both of Sudan’s warring parties, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have both been accused of blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid. Members of the army-controlled government have protested keeping the Adre border open, arguing that allows for the RSF to deliver weapons.
More than 300 aid trucks have passed into Sudan since the border reopened. However, last month, the United Nations said that while the reopening of Adre had allowed the delivery of aid, the volume being delivered through this corridor was not enough to meet the population’s needs. The rainy season and flooding also made it difficult to reach areas in need.