NICK SCHIFRIN: And to look at the effect# this civil war has had on the people,## as well as next steps, we turn to Jan Egeland,## secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee# Council, who just returned from Sudan.

Jan Egeland, thanks very much.# Welcome back to the "News Hour."

So what did you see when you were there?

JAN EGELAND, Secretary-General, Norwegian Refugee# Council: What I saw confirmed the foll.. In South Kordofan, we have the worst war and# the worst hunger catastrophe within Sudan,## which is in turn the largest humanitarian crisis# on Earth today.

I met with countless women,## children, because it's really women and# children, fleeing from besieged cities,## including Kadugli, the biggest city.

And they're fleeing from horrific# violence, but also from a famine## declared inside there because we cannot# get into this besieged city without food.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And what are some of# the stories that they shared with you?

JAN EGELAND: Well, I met with several of# these who are young single mothers now,## because the story was that, in the morning,# our husbands went to search for food.## Then a drone came and bombed and# torched our home.

So we fled,## one with a nursing baby on her arm and# four other kids below the age of 9.

They walked for two, three days to the camp,# where we in the Norwegian Refugee Council give## them food and emergency aid.

And they haven't# heard from their husbands and fathers.

And## now we have the biggest gap anywhere in the# world between urgent needs and available aid,## where too few organizations on the ground,# and we're overstretched and underfunded.

NICK SCHIFRIN: As we saw in the# story that preceded our conversation,## General Burhan, the head of# the Sudanese Armed Forces,## described where you just went as liberated.

Is# that how the people who you spoke to see it?

JAN EGELAND: It was, I mean, the day after I left,## we heard that there had been a breakthrough of# a military column into Kadugli, the biggest town## that has been besieged by the armed actors,# but it hasn't meant a lot of aid at all.

The hunger catastrophe continues.

We have# three more months to avoid an epic biblical## famine before the rainy season comes and# the roads will be impossible in this part## of Sudan.

So we have to surge aid.

And# that's my message to the donor nations,## including the United States.

Come to the# relief of these mothers and children.

They are hundreds of thousands.# They're starving and they're## victims of a cruel conflict.

We can# help them, but we have little time.

NICK SCHIFRIN: You have criticized donor nations,# including the United States, of neglecting Sudan.

Just this week, the U.S.

held an event here# in Washington that raised what the U.S.

State## Department said was $1.5 billion# in new pledges.

And in a statement,## the State Department said this: "While# we remain proud of America's unmatched## generosity, President Trump has# made it clear that other nations## must also shoulder a greater share of# the burden for this lifesaving work."

Do you see that happening?

JAN EGELAND: I heard that some of the Gulf# countries are pledging, in addi.. United States, $200 million, $500 million# from United Arab Emirates.

Several European## countries have pledged.

We haven't seen much# of that on the ground yet, by the way, not so.

We're still underfunded, so the money# needs to come now, so we can purchase,## we can get, procure all of the food, we can# start the logistic chains.

These are remote## areas in a horrific war.

So I hope# for the generosity of North America,## of Europe and the Gulf countries# in particular.

It must happen soon.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And bringing us back to where# we started, the umbrella organization that## declares famine releasing their report, saying# that famine is spreading in parts of Sudan.

Bottom line, what can be done in# order to save more people's lives?

JAN EGELAND: Two things, put pressure on the# armed actors so that they stop this senseless## conflict, we have a cease-fire and we have# humanitarian access to all that are in need.

Secondly, surge the aid, really.

I mean,# in South Kordofan, it's the southern part## of Sudan.

U.S.

organizations have been# there for a generation.

The U.S.

has## been an aid giver for a generation# there.

There are five international## nongovernmental organizations.

That's# it from the international community.

It's really the Sudanese frontline# volunteers that are keeping people alive,## pretty much alone.

We need# to surge much more aid fast,## before we see this relentless countdown to# famine result in a famine.

It's not too late.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Jan Egeland,## secretary-general of the Norwegian# Refugee .. JAN EGELAND: Thank you.