Thirty-one governments and the European Commission have warned of a worsening food security crisis in Sudan, cautioning that famine could occur in the coming months without urgent humanitarian intervention.
The warning was contained in a joint statement issued on October 23 and circulated by the United States Department of State on Monday, as the conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to devastate the country.
According to the statement, approximately 19.5 million people, representing 41 per cent of Sudan’s population, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with about five million experiencing emergency levels of hunger.
The signatories also warned that the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could exceed the projected 825,000 if immediate action is not taken. They added that the number of areas classified as food insecure, initially estimated at 14, could double.
The ongoing war, which began in April 2023, remains the primary driver of the crisis. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 13 million and triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies.
The situation has been compounded by restrictions on humanitarian access and drought linked to El Niño, which has reduced rainfall across more than half of Sudan. The conditions have contributed to rising food prices and disrupted farming activities, further threatening food supplies.
The governments called on the warring parties to remove obstacles to humanitarian assistance and guarantee full, safe and unhindered access through cross-border and crossline routes, including air access into Darfur.
They also urged the parties to protect humanitarian workers and civilian infrastructure, while appealing to the international community to urgently increase funding to address the growing crisis.
The signatories stressed that the parties to the conflict bear primary responsibility for alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people, warning that urgent and coordinated action is needed to prevent further deterioration in food security and avert the risk of famine.
Story by Ama Frimpomaa