Nairobi, Kenya——

Delivering humanitarian supplies to millions of Sudanese affected by more than a decade of conflict in the country has become increasingly expensive and dangerous as Yemen’s Houthi rebels attack Red Sea shipping.

The International Rescue Committee said this week that its logistics partners will now bypass the Red Sea route and deliver supplies through the port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates on the east side of the Arabian Peninsula. It is said that the new route will increase transportation costs by more than 40%.

The IRC’s Sally Anyanga said the new routes would also increase the time it takes for supplies to be transported, from about two weeks to more than a month.

“Alternative routes involve longer transport distances, resulting in increased transport times and delays in delivering critical assistance to those in need, making our operations very challenging and costly,” Anyanga said. “We were unable to get the medicines on time for our medical teams to use.”

According to aid agencies, more than 25 million people in Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance after war broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

For security reasons, most aid agencies have moved operations to Port Sudan, where they are able to receive and deliver aid to those in need.

Anyanga said it was crucial to allow humanitarian aid to enter Sudan through all available routes.

“But ultimately, what the people of Sudan need most is peace, lasting peace, because over the past few months we have seen civilians being targeted,” she said. “More than 13,000 people have been killed. We’ve also seen aid workers being targeted. So we need to put an end to this and make sure aid reaches those in need on time.”

Humanitarian agencies, experts and some government officials in East Africa have expressed concern about Houthi attacks on ships, saying they affect the security and economic conditions of countries that rely on the route to receive cargo.

U.S. and British troops targeted Houthi positions in an attempt to stop the attacks, but the group continued to fire rockets and attack ships, hampering the free flow of goods and services.

Edgar Githua, a lecturer at American International University Africa who specializes in international relations, peace and conflict, told VOA that a global effort is needed to prevent Houthi attacks from worsening the situation in many countries. Worse.

“The international community needs to deal with the Houthi rebels who are now engaging in blatant piracy in the name of support. [Hamas in] “Israel and Palestine are in conflict. But now they are hijacking ships and creating a logistical nightmare,” Gitowa said. “So I think a huge response is needed because it will not only affect the humanitarian crisis, but also food prices, but also It would impact a lot of ancillary things that depend on the logistical support of that corridor. Therefore, the international community needs to step up. “

Late on Tuesday, the U.S. military reported downing five Houthi drones in the Red Sea. U.S. Central Command said the drones posed a threat to commercial and naval vessels in the area.