Residents in Sudan Grapple with Effects of Climate Change as Well as Conflict

Women who fled war in Sudan and requested anonymity because they feared retribution after reporting sexual exploitation, walk in a refugee camp in Adre, Chad.

Africa News

Residents in war-torn Sudan, where the conflict is approaching its two-year anniversary, are also grappling with the effects of climate change.

Among them is peace and climate activist Nisreen Elsaim, who was driven from her home that was situated in an area affected by the violence as well as flooding.

“The morning of Saturday, 15th of April 2023 was a very normal morning until we heard a very big explosion to the point that our whole house was shaking. And then, unfortunately, these explosions and sounds never stopped. And basically, until now, it's over 600 days since the war started in Sudan. We stayed in our house for three weeks, and then we started getting out of running out of food and water and electricity. And then moving out was a must,” Elsaim says.

According to Elsaim, those hit the hardest by climate change were the most vulnerable, including the millions displaced by the fighting.

“The war in Sudan caused more than 12 million refugees and IDPs,” Elsaim notes.

“The biggest number of IDPs were concentrated in these states where it was flooded. The total area that was flooded is bigger than Germany in its size and definitely had a lot of the camps inside of it. Currently, Sudan is living the biggest humanitarian crisis ever,'' she adds.

She's calling for more humanitarian aid, and for aid to be adapted to withstand the effects of extreme weather.

“We must consider climate change when we are planning for humanitarian interventions. Making climate sensitive humanitarian is not a privilege right now. It's a key and it's a must, basically. Otherwise, all of our humanitarian efforts will just flood with the water,'' Elsaim insists.

With regular droughts and significant variations in rainfall, Sudan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, according to the UN.

The conflict between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces broke out in April 2023; since then, at least 20,000 have been killed.