Egypt and Pakistan call for the resumption of the understandings between Washington and Tehran, and the worsening hunger crisis in Sudan

Egypt and Pakistan stressed the importance of resuming the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed last June 18 between the United States and Iran, and reaching a comprehensive and sustainable agreement that enhances regional security and stability and spares the region from expanding the scope of conflict.

This came in a phone call that took place yesterday, Saturday, between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, within the framework of a common interest in coordination and continuous consultation on regional developments, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

According to the statement, the two ministers exchanged assessments regarding the regional files and the efforts made to contain the escalation and restore calm.

The two ministers agreed during the call on the necessity of continuing consultation and close coordination during the next phase, at the bilateral level and within the framework of the mechanism of the four regional parties, in a way that supports joint endeavors to enhance security and stability in the region.

The intensity of the confrontation between Iran and the United States has escalated again over the past few days, and the US army struck three Iranian crude oil tankers, one of them off Kharg Island, in response to the Revolutionary Guards launching ballistic missiles towards an American aircraft carrier and destroyer, in what appeared to be an expansion of the tanker war in the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump said that Washington controls Hormuz, and downplayed its importance in the future. He also threatened to strike Jabal Ax near Natanz “very soon” if Washington detected developments that would raise its concerns.

“Takaya,” which are charitable kitchens run by volunteer initiatives to provide food to the needy and those affected by the war in Sudan, have become a lifeline for thousands of families who have lost their sources of income and are unable to secure their daily meals in light of the high prices and deteriorating economic conditions.

In the city of Omdurman, displaced people and war-weary residents are finding refuge in these kitchens to obtain whatever food they can, after purchasing basic needs has become beyond the capacity of many families, as a result of low incomes, disruption of economic activity, and high costs of living. However, initiatives that fill part of the food gap are also facing a severe shortage in funding and high operating costs. Which makes its continuation dependent on the donations of philanthropists and the support of donors, at a time when the number of families relying on it to obtain a daily meal is increasing.

Al-Sadiq Siddiq, the supervisor of a hospice, says that his initiative was launched in June 2023 with one amount of “lentil balila,” a popular meal made from lentils, which was distributed to neighbors and passers-by, before he added another amount of beans, with the help of some donors. As the hospice’s activities were introduced through social media platforms, the circle of supporters gradually expanded.

A friend added to Asharq Al-Awsat that the hospice expanded its activities as the war continued and humanitarian needs worsened, and it prepared about 20 large amounts of food daily for the displaced and affected people in Omdurman, benefiting nearly 5,000 people, belonging to about 700 families. He points out that the lack of funding caused the hospice to stop operating several times, but it resumed its activity every time to meet the needs of families, as well as providing breakfast meals for school students.

Although numbers of displaced people returned to their areas after the army regained control of Khartoum, the living conditions of many families remain extremely difficult. Siddiq confirms that “the continuation of the hospice’s work has become an indispensable necessity.”

Millions of Sudanese are suffering from the repercussions of the ongoing war, in light of the decline in incomes, the disruption of large sectors of economic activity, and the rising costs of living, while the crisis has pushed about half of the country’s population into need of humanitarian aid, according to international estimates.

Among the beneficiaries is Umm Sitra Hamid, a sixty-year-old woman who was displaced from the city of Al-Nahud, West Kordofan State. She told Asharq Al-Awsat: “I arrived in Omdurman with my orphan children after a long and arduous journey during which we suffered a lot, and I currently live in very difficult living conditions.” She added: “I do not have a stable source of income, and I cannot provide enough food for my children. Therefore, we rely mainly on the meals provided by the hospice. For us, these meals are not just a help, but a way to survive in these harsh conditions.”

The suffering of Fatima Youssef, a mother of seven daughters, is not much different from this. She says: “I was displaced from West Kordofan with my seven daughters, and we left our house with only the clothes we were wearing, amid inhumane conditions. Since our arrival, we have faced extreme difficulty in providing the most basic requirements of life, especially food.” She added: “Our living situation is very difficult, and we do not have enough to feed my daughters.” I depend on the hospice to get meals, and today I received our share of lentil soup, but I don’t even have dry bread that we can eat with.”

In turn, Al-Hadi Al-Badawi, one of the beneficiaries, says that hospices have stood by the residents since the outbreak of the war, and have turned for many families into an essential source of food with the continuing deterioration in living conditions. He added: “I used to rely on daily freelance work to provide for my family’s needs, but the war and the disastrous conditions it left behind led to a significant decline in job opportunities, and I began to spend many days without work or income.” He continues: “Living conditions are very deteriorating. Therefore, the meals provided by hospices have become a real support for families that have lost their sources of income and are no longer able to provide food for their members.”

At a time when families' ability to secure their basic needs is declining, hospices remain witness to another side of the war. Families who relied on their work and income to provide food are now waiting for a meal provided by a charitable initiative. As the circle of people in need expands and food prices rise, these kitchens, in turn, face the risk of shutting down due to scarcity of funding and the difficulty of providing cooking supplies on a regular basis.

In a country whose economy has been exhausted by war, and which has burdened its citizens, a meal for many families is no longer something that can be taken for granted, but rather has turned into a daily battle for survival, while hospices, with their limited capabilities, are trying to fill part of the growing gap. The United Nations World Food Program warned, in its latest update on its humanitarian operations in Sudan last August, that the country is still facing the largest hunger crisis in the world, while a severe lack of funding threatens the ability of humanitarian organizations to continue relief operations, amid the continuing war and worsening humanitarian conditions in various parts of the country. The program stated that about 19.5 million people in Sudan suffer from severe levels of food insecurity, in light of the continuing conflict, deteriorating economic conditions, disruption of agricultural production, and a significant rise in the prices of basic commodities.