In brief
The United States and 30 other Western governments have issued a joint statement warning of an alarming deterioration in Sudan’s food security, triggered by ongoing conflict that has devastated infrastructure and halted food production. The statement, signed by the EU, UK, Canada, Switzerland, Norway and the US, estimates that 41 per cent of Sudan’s population—about 19.5 million people—are already experiencing high levels of acute hunger, while the UN says over five million are in a state of severe hunger. Humanitarian agencies report that only 40 % of Sudan’s 2026 help plan has been funded, and systematic obstruction of aid plus El Niño‑driven drought are worsening the crisis. The warning calls on warring parties to lift all impediments to rescue operations, offering hope that swift, unimpeded access could avert a full‑scale famine.
The war that erupted in Sudan in April 2023 has turned the country into a humanitarian nightmare, with the World Health Organization declaring the worst crisis on record and more than 33 million people needing assistance.
In a joint statement released on Monday, the United States and 30 other Western states warned of an "alarming deterioration" in food security, calling on the warring parties to remove obstacles to humanitarian aid and to prevent a looming famine.
Conflict is the main driver of Sudan’s hunger crisis, the signatories wrote, noting that violence has damaged critical infrastructure and disrupted the nation’s food production.
Regional director for Islamic Relief East Africa, Yusuf Roble, told BBC Newsday that people returning to cities such as Omdurman were finding their homes destroyed or looted. He added, "There is very little to survive on."
The war has displaced 14 million people and caused an estimated 19.5 million—or 41% of the population—to experience acute food insecurity, with 5 million facing emergency levels of hunger, the statement said.
Roble warned that the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could exceed the projected 825,000 without immediate intervention. He also highlighted that only 40% of Sudan’s 2026 humanitarian needs plan had been funded as of September, and that aid efforts are hampered by systematic obstruction, the statement noted.
The crisis is further exacerbated by the El Niño weather pattern, which has intensified drought across more than half of Sudan. The joint statement urged warring parties to lift all impediments to humanitarian assistance and to allow full, safe, rapid and unimpeded access for aid workers.
In June, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification estimated that 5.1 million Sudanese faced severe hunger. The civil war began after a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, intensifying an already fragile situation.
