Darfur has been described as the worst humanitarian crisis in
the world today, with an estimated one million people displaced
since fighting intensified early in 2003. The UN’s emergency
relief coordinator, Jan Egeland, recently characterised the
situation as ‘ethnic cleansing’. With the hungry season
approaching, violence continuing despite a recent ceasefire
agreed at peace talks in Chad, and humanitarian agencies unable
to access the majority of the at-risk population, there is a clear
risk of large-scale famine mortality.
This Briefing Note draws on a variety of sources and on
thematic research previously conducted by the Humanitarian
Policy Group to highlight some of the key humanitarian issues
in the context of Darfur.
