LONDON: BBC World Service has launched a WhatsApp channel to deliver news and vital information to people in Sudan as the country faces what aid agencies describe as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The new service expands access to BBC News Arabic’s daily program “For a Peaceful Sudan,” a 30-minute broadcast that airs Sunday through Thursday.
The program was created in response to the conflict in Sudan, which has left an estimated 33.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
“By making this content available through WhatsApp, we reach audiences on the platforms they already use, and expand access to reliable information at a time when it is most urgently needed, which may help save lives,” said Mohamed Matar, senior news editor at the BBC.
He said the initiative is also designed to reach people with weak mobile data service, helping widen access to reliable information and practical guidance needed by those affected by crises.
Subscribers will receive on-demand audio updates throughout the day, allowing them to access the content at convenient times.
The BBC said the channel was designed to be data-efficient and easy to use, with a focus on people affected by weak or interrupted internet access.
The program combines news coverage with practical guidance, including public health and hygiene information.
It also features educational material from the BBC’s “Lesson” series to support children whose schooling has been disrupted by the war.
The BBC said the channel will provide a platform for Sudanese voices, allowing people affected by the crisis to share their experiences.
It will also connect audiences inside Sudan with members of the Sudanese diaspora abroad, who contribute to the program’s content.
The new service joins BBC News Arabic’s wider slate of programming for Arabic speakers across the Middle East and beyond.
The BBC launched an emergency radio service for Gaza in November 2023 in response to the conflict there.
It also expanded news services in Syria in December 2024 after the fall of the Assad regime, aiming to give Syrians access to independent and reliable reporting.
The WhatsApp channel is now available under the name “For a Peaceful Sudan — BBC News Arabic.”
