The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions of Sudanese refugees fleeing to neighboring countries are at risk of plunging deep into hunger and malnutrition, as severe shortages of funding have forced severe cuts in life-saving food aid.

The WFP urged the international community to mobilize additional resources to maintain food and nutrition aid for Sudanese refugees and the host community that supports them.

The U.N. agency said that continued food aid was needed more than the soon-to-be-available funds when immediately mobilized to provide emergency aid to refugees fleeing to seven neighboring countries.

The WFP needs more than $200 million to maintain an emergency response to Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries for the next six months, the agency warned, warning that aid could be halted in the coming months due to resource constraints.

According to the agency, an additional $575 million is needed to save lives for the most vulnerable in Sudan. “Millions of people fleeing Sudan are completely dependent on WFP support, but without additional funding, we will be forced to cut food aid further.”

“Ultimately, humanitarian assistance alone cannot end conflict and forced displacement— political and global diplomatic action is urgently needed to end the war so that peace and stability can be restored,” said Sean Hughes, WFP’s emergency coordinator for the Sudan Regional Crisis. ’

Sudan has experienced a major displacement crisis, forcing millions of people to flee their homes since the start of the conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the Fast Support Forces on April 15, 2023. It has become the world’s worst displacement crisis, according to the UN report.