The Biden-Harris administration is being criticized for its perceived inadequate response to the crisis in Sudan, which is experiencing war and famine.

President Biden and his administration are making renewed efforts to end the war in Sudan, which is described by some as a last-minute attempt to leave a legacy and electioneering.

The United Nations reports that 25 million people in Sudan are in dire need of aid, with up to 150,000 people killed since the conflict began last year. Health Policy Watch reports that over half of Sudan's population is facing acute hunger. Some analysts say that this is a classic example of too little, too late.

"The Biden administration is making a last-minute effort to improve the situation in Sudan, as the humanitarian crisis is extremely dire, according to Cameron Hudson, former director for African affairs at the National Security Council during the George W. Bush administration, and now senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Hudson stated that there could be 2 million Sudanese people dead from famine by the time Biden leaves office."

If Biden does not act quickly to address the calamitous situation in Africa, his promises to elevate its importance on the global stage will be seen as hollow.

Each of the 11 million Sudanese people displaced by the U.N. has their own harrowing tale.

Katie Striffolino, the director of policy and advocacy for Mercy Corps, shared with Planet Chronicle Digital a harrowing story of a mother who gave birth while displaced in the back of a pickup truck with no medical care. The mother was with her newborn in an informal displacement site with no food or water, and she was unable to breastfeed her hungry infant because she lacked the necessary nutrition to produce breastmilk.

In Sudan, Mercy Corps operates in nine out of the country's 18 states. However, according to Striffolino, aid workers are frequently unable to provide assistance due to blockages, which are intentionally created. Despite being able to physically reach the people in need, they are still dying of starvation.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been accused of blocking or diverting much of the aid coming into the country for 18 months.

The Zamzam camp in North Darfur, which houses between 300,000 to 500,000 displaced people, is under a blockade and has not received any essential supplies or food. This was reported by aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

Eric Reeves, a researcher from Sudan, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the people of Zamzam camp are in dire need for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied Arab militias to be defeated in order to establish security conditions that would enable humanitarian convoys to reach them. Currently, children are dying from starvation as malnourished mothers have stopped lactating, making them more susceptible to illness. Additionally, older people are also succumbing to malnutrition and disease.

President Biden urged the international community to cease providing aid to the Sudanese people and to stop arming the generals during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly last month. He emphasized the need for a unified message to be sent to the generals, urging them to end the ongoing war in their country.

In a statement on X, Vice President Kamala Harris mirrored Biden's sentiments and urged an end to the conflict, emphasizing, "We support the Sudanese people's quest for a tranquil future."

According to CSIS's Hudson, although Biden's words were strong, he had been silent publicly on Sudan for over a year. Hudson stated that the plea came more than 15 months after the last time Biden mentioned the conflict publicly, indicating a lack of consistent engagement with the world's largest conflict.

Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, recorded a video message for the people of Sudan last week, stating that the global community is in agreement on ending the conflict and seeking a peaceful resolution through negotiations.

The State Department spokesperson informed Planet Chronicle Digital that their support for the Sudanese people remains unwavering as they strive to put an end to the conflict and establish a plan to resume the political transition. The spokesperson emphasized that a military solution is not the answer to the crisis in Sudan. They expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence in Khartoum, El Fasher, and other areas between the RSF and SAF, which has resulted in the deaths of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.

"Our regional and international partners, along with the United States, are in agreement that the fighting in Sudan must cease immediately. The SAF and RSF must comply with their international humanitarian obligations and respect human rights. Additionally, they must allow unimpeded cross-border and cross-line humanitarian access to address the emergency needs of civilians."

Since the start of Fiscal Year 2023, the United States has been the largest donor of humanitarian aid to the Sudan response, providing more than $2 billion in assistance, including protection, food aid, and other lifesaving support, to meet the needs in Sudan and neighboring countries.

The U.S. is still pushing peace talks with Sudan, but according to Hudson, the warring parties have no interest in political talks at the moment. The administration should prioritize increasing humanitarian access and saving lives before leaving office, rather than focusing on talks that are unlikely to bring about significant change on the ground.

Children are starving and do not have the privilege to wait for the international community to act, as stated by Mercy Corps' Striffolino, who warned of the risk of hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths in Sudan.

Across Sudan, people are dying of starvation, which is entirely preventable. Conflict parties must cease attacking aid workers, civilians, and critical infrastructure, and enable humanitarian staff to deliver vital aid to the population.

In Sudan, there are widespread disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, dengue fever, measles, and rubella. UNICEF reports that 3.4 million children under the age of 5 are at high risk from epidemic diseases.

Biden should take action before leaving office to prevent the parties in Sudan from rehabilitating their images and reinventing themselves as legitimate political figures. This can be achieved by supporting an International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment and sanctioning the leadership of both organizations. These measures will ensure that the parties' actions are held accountable and their reputations are tarnished even after Biden leaves office.

Nearly two years have passed since Biden made promises to African leaders at a Washington summit, aiming to re-engage with the continent and enhance the partnership between the administration and Africa.

The successor of Biden's successor can learn the most important lesson from Africa, which is that unfulfilled expectations are more painful than unfulfilled promises.