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FAO Representative: Ending Famine in Sudan is Possible if Hostilities Cease

FAO Assistant Director-General and regional representative, AbdulHakim Elwaer, visited Sudan to assess the situation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
FAO Assistant Director-General and regional representative, AbdulHakim Elwaer, visited Sudan to assess the situation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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FAO Representative: Ending Famine in Sudan is Possible if Hostilities Cease

FAO Assistant Director-General and regional representative, AbdulHakim Elwaer, visited Sudan to assess the situation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
FAO Assistant Director-General and regional representative, AbdulHakim Elwaer, visited Sudan to assess the situation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Sudan is currently facing an unprecedented food security crisis, reaching historically severe levels, according to United Nations classifications. One manifestation of this crisis is the famine affecting more than 500,000 residents of the Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp near the city of El Fasher in North Darfur.
According to a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the risk of famine persists at alarmingly high levels. The conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) headed by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), has spread across most of the country's states. This war has displaced millions of Sudanese, both internally and externally, and resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries.
In an effort to assess the humanitarian situation, FAO's Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, AbdulHakim Elwaer, visited Sudan last week. He described the rapid deterioration of food security as highly concerning, noting that FAO is working on all fronts to secure continued support and fill funding gaps for food relief activities in the country.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Elwaer pointed out that, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report from June 2023, over half of Sudan’s population, approximately 25.6 million people, are experiencing crisis-level food insecurity or worse (Phase 3 or above). Of these, 8.5 million people are in emergency conditions (Phase 4), marking the worst levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded in the country.
Elwaer specifically highlighted the dire situation in the Zamzam IDP camp, which hosts more than 500,000 people near El Fasher. The camp has been classified under famine conditions (Phase 5) since June 2024, with the situation expected to persist until at least October 2024. Moreover, for the first time in Sudan's history, 755,000 people are facing catastrophic hunger (Phase 5) across 10 states, including Khartoum and Gezira, once known as Sudan’s breadbasket.
Elwaer emphasized that while FAO is working to provide timely agricultural aid across the country, immediate and concerted efforts from all stakeholders are crucial to address the root causes of the famine. He stressed the importance of ending hostilities, as wars and conflicts remain the primary drivers of food insecurity, not only in Sudan but globally.
Sudan’s current crisis is further exacerbated by extreme climatic conditions, including floods, droughts, and rising temperatures, which challenge sustainable agricultural and livestock practices. The conflict, combined with these environmental challenges, severely hampers emergency response efforts across the country, the UN official told Asharq Al-Awsat.
He continued that FAO is actively working to support Sudanese farmers, distributing seeds to 1.2 million farming households for the main agricultural season that began in June 2024. The organization aims to reach 6 million farmers nationwide, with the goal of producing between 2.4 and 3.6 million tons of sorghum if the seed distribution campaign proceeds as planned. However, these efforts are continually threatened by the ongoing conflict and worsening climate conditions.
Elwaer concluded that every dollar invested in rural livelihoods could save up to seven to eight dollars in humanitarian aid while supporting local markets. While expanding emergency food and cash aid is essential, it will not be enough to address the shortfalls caused by declining domestic food production, which is why agricultural support is crucial.

 

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Arab World

Lebanon Bets on US Pressure to Win Israeli Concessions

Displaced residents return to southern Lebanon (AFP)
Displaced residents return to southern Lebanon (AFP)
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Lebanon Bets on US Pressure to Win Israeli Concessions

Displaced residents return to southern Lebanon (AFP)
Displaced residents return to southern Lebanon (AFP)

US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, opening the door to direct negotiations between the two sides.

Without a truce, the war between Israel and Hezbollah would remain open-ended, bringing more destruction and displacement to southern Lebanon.

But a ceasefire alone is not enough unless it runs in parallel with Lebanese-Israeli talks and can be extended to allow time for a deal, a ministerial source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Trump’s move also satisfied Iran by involving it in the contacts that led to the truce, while aligning with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who made a ceasefire a precondition for negotiations.

Washington brings Iran in

Washington drew Iran into the ceasefire in hopes of extracting concessions by pressing Hezbollah to uphold the truce and accept joining the government in direct talks, the source said.

The talks still face opposition from the Shiite duo, Hezbollah and Amal, despite mounting local and international pressure to unify behind a Lebanese delegation expected to be headed by former ambassador Simon Karam.

No meeting is expected soon between Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House under Trump’s sponsorship, at least during the ceasefire.

Any such meeting should seal a comprehensive agreement, not launch negotiations, the source said.

He added that there is no need to rush. The priority is for Washington to press Israel to offer incentives that could help secure a deal. Without that, a meeting would be meaningless as long as Israeli forces remain, residents are barred from returning south of the Litani River, Lebanese prisoners are held, and towns face systematic destruction.

Under such conditions, the source asked, would a meeting simply impose a reality rejected by Aoun, who insists the timing is wrong unless Israel shows goodwill on the ground toward ending its occupation.

Separating Iran from Lebanon

The source said a ceasefire is essential to start talks, but involving Iran does not mean Lebanon will tie its fate to Tehran’s negotiations with Washington, contrary to claims by a Shiite duo source.

That source suggested Lebanon would be part of a broader US-Iran settlement that could ease tensions, without explaining how this would reassure the Lebanese.

Washington’s outreach to Iran to help resume talks in Islamabad does not mean handing Lebanon’s file to Tehran, the source said, noting strong domestic, Arab and international opposition to linking the two tracks.

He questioned how Iran can negotiate directly with the United States while Lebanon is denied the same option in the absence of alternatives.

He also asked what alternative exists, and whether Lebanon can withstand another war after Hezbollah backed Gaza and Iran without returning to the government’s authority.

He raised doubts over how returning residents can be reassured, as areas south of the Litani have been devastated and are no longer fit for living.

Residents have the right to regain stability and ease fears about their future while awaiting reconstruction, which hinges on Hezbollah accepting the state’s monopoly on arms as a core item in negotiations. In return, Washington would need to secure Israel’s withdrawal and complete border demarcation in line with the armistice.

The question remains whether the Shiite duo will continue to reject direct talks overseen by Aoun, who insists on fully liberating the south.

That puts pressure on Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has voiced reservations, as Aoun and international actors continue to seek a unified Lebanese position to prevent the ceasefire from unraveling.

Arab World

Aoun Says Future Deal Will Not Cede Lebanese Territory, Country No Longer ‘Arena for Anyone’s Wars’

A photograph released by the Lebanese Presidency on April 17, 2026, shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun delivering a televised address to the Lebanese people from the Baabda Presidential Palace, east of the capital Beirut. (Lebanese Presidency)
A photograph released by the Lebanese Presidency on April 17, 2026, shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun delivering a televised address to the Lebanese people from the Baabda Presidential Palace, east of the capital Beirut. (Lebanese Presidency)
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Aoun Says Future Deal Will Not Cede Lebanese Territory, Country No Longer ‘Arena for Anyone’s Wars’

A photograph released by the Lebanese Presidency on April 17, 2026, shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun delivering a televised address to the Lebanese people from the Baabda Presidential Palace, east of the capital Beirut. (Lebanese Presidency)
A photograph released by the Lebanese Presidency on April 17, 2026, shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun delivering a televised address to the Lebanese people from the Baabda Presidential Palace, east of the capital Beirut. (Lebanese Presidency)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that any future deal reached by the government would not cede any ‌territory or ‌undermine Lebanon's national ‌rights, ⁠without saying whether ⁠he was referring to prospective talks with Israel.

The televised address was ⁠his first speech ‌since ‌the US brokered a ‌ceasefire to ‌end fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah on Thursday. ‌

The text of the deal ⁠says ⁠Israel and Lebanon would hold direct talks to produce a "peace between the two countries".

Aoun said Lebanon was on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements."

"Now, we all stand before a new phase," he added, stressing "it is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation."

He added that direct talks with Israel were "not a sign of weakness nor a concession... negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation."

Moreover, Aoun stressed that Lebanon was no longer an "arena" for anyone's wars.

"We are confident that we will save Lebanon... we have reclaimed Lebanon and Lebanon's decision-making power for the first time in nearly half a century," he declared, adding that "today, we negotiate for ourselves... we are no longer a pawn in anyone's game, nor an arena for anyone's wars, and we never will be again."

"I hereby affirm... that there will be no agreement that infringes upon our national rights, diminishes the dignity of our steadfast people, or relinquishes an iota of this nation's soil."

Arab World

Hezbollah Tallies Its Dead from Israel War, Estimates Exceed 1,000

A woman walks next to an ambulance at the site of an Israeli strike carried out before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, April 17, 2026. (Reuters)
A woman walks next to an ambulance at the site of an Israeli strike carried out before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, April 17, 2026. (Reuters)
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Hezbollah Tallies Its Dead from Israel War, Estimates Exceed 1,000

A woman walks next to an ambulance at the site of an Israeli strike carried out before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, April 17, 2026. (Reuters)
A woman walks next to an ambulance at the site of an Israeli strike carried out before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Tyre, Lebanon, April 17, 2026. (Reuters)

Hezbollah said its fighters would “keep their fingers on the trigger” hours after a ceasefire took effect between Lebanon and Israel, warning it would not stay silent over any Israeli violations and would not repeat its past restraint under the October 2024 ceasefire, when Israel continued attacks and assassinations against its members and commanders.

In recent hours, the Iran-backed party focused on helping large numbers of displaced people return to their homes, while tracking Israeli movements in occupied areas and preparing for a possible new confrontation at any moment.

Death toll unclear

People closely following Hezbollah said it was still counting its dead, with no final toll yet, as many fighters remain under rubble in villages and towns that saw fierce clashes, including the southern towns of Khiam and Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces are deployed, complicating search efforts.

Some bodies are difficult to identify, while others have been taken captive.

Sources said Hezbollah would not, for now or in the near future, announce casualty figures, as it did in the previous war.

It stopped issuing official death notices after the toll passed 500 and is maintaining that approach, they said, with estimates suggesting the number is high and may exceed 1,000, particularly after heavy fighting in Khiam and Bint Jbeil.

Hezbollah statement

In a statement after the ceasefire, Hezbollah said it carried out 2,184 military operations during the 45-day battle from March 2 to April 16.

It said its drones and rocket fire struck Israeli settlements and cities from the Lebanese border to beyond Tel Aviv, up to 160 km deep.

It said its fighters conducted about 49 operations a day, adding: “The hands of these fighters will remain on the trigger, on guard against the enemy’s treachery and any violation of its commitments.”

Hezbollah lawmakers on Friday accompanied displaced residents returning to their towns and villages in the south, Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the group would accept no surrender or submission.

“This issue is settled for us. If the Americans want to give the Israeli enemy freedom of movement, and if some Lebanese officials submit and make concessions, that will have no application on the ground,” he said, warning that the ceasefire “must not become a tool for the enemy to blackmail the authorities.”

He added: “The Lebanese authorities must withdraw from direct negotiations that will only lead to submission to Israeli dictates. This threatens Lebanon’s future and fate.”

People check destruction behind posters of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem (bottom) and a killed Hezbollah member in Beirut's southern suburbs after a 10-day ceasefire with Israel came into effect on April 17, 2026. (AFP)

‘A major defeat’

While Hezbollah and its supporters frame the outcome as a victory, security and defense analyst Riad Kahwaji told Asharq al Awsat the battlefield suggests otherwise.

“When the war began, the Israelis were in five points, while Hezbollah fighters were active along axes such as Naqoura, Kfar Kila, and Aita al-Shaab. Today, Israeli forces are deeper inside Lebanese territory,” he said.

“Israeli control has reached 10 km, compared with around 2 or 3 km before. Hezbollah lost territory, was forced to retreat, its death toll is in the hundreds, its number of captives has risen, and the scale of destruction in the south, the southern suburbs and the Bekaa is many times greater,” Kahwaji added.

He said tens of thousands have been displaced after their homes were destroyed. “This is defeat, in every sense of the word.”

Kahwaji said that even if Israeli soldiers were killed, their numbers were not comparable to Hezbollah’s losses, and that the scale of damage in Lebanon versus Israel underscored the imbalance.

“Hezbollah considers its survival and ability to fire rockets a victory, even though it has again shown it acts as an Iranian tool and entered the war in support of Iran,” he stressed.

Ready for another round

Political writer Qassem Kassir, who is closely familiar with Hezbollah’s position, offered a sharply different view, saying the group had emerged stronger than after the 2024 war.

“If we do not say it won, what is certain is that Israel failed to achieve its military and security goals. Tel Aviv was unable to target Hezbollah’s leadership. Although some commanders were killed, the number is very small compared with the previous war,” he said.

Kassir said Hezbollah had “managed the battle with precision and success” and was preparing for a possible new confrontation, unless comprehensive solutions are reached, including a full Israeli withdrawal, the return of captives, an end to attacks and launch of reconstruction.