Sudan is teetering on the brink of a full-scale famine as conflict and climate crises converge, creating one of the world’s most severe hunger emergencies. Since fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces broke out in April 2023, over 25 million people have fallen into acute food insecurity, with 5.6 million at risk of starvation. Displacement has worsened the situation, pushing families out of agricultural areas, preventing farming, and devastating local food systems.
In key regions like Darfur, famine conditions have already been confirmed, exacerbating the vulnerability of displaced populations, especially women and children. Efforts by the World Food Programme (WFP) and other humanitarian agencies have provided food aid, but insecurity and limited access have hampered delivery. Trucks carrying essential supplies face delays, and even in relatively safer areas like Chad, refugees receive only minimal rations.
The humanitarian outlook remains bleak as heavy rains and floods further impede aid operations and worsen living conditions in camps. Health crises like cholera and malnutrition are rampant, leading to high mortality rates, especially among children. Despite these grim conditions, international agencies continue to appeal for global solidarity, urging both financial support and diplomatic efforts to secure ceasefires and open humanitarian corridors. Without swift action, Sudan faces a catastrophic famine that could devastate millions more lives.
Since conflict broke out between Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, both warring parties have restricted aid delivery, access, and distribution. Ninety percent of people in Sudan facing emergency levels of hunger are in areas that are largely inaccessible to the World Food Programme. Communities in Sudan are on the brink of famine because we are prevented from reaching many of the children, women and families in need.
This crisis serves as a stark reminder that without urgent intervention, famine cannot be averted, and Sudan’s future remains uncertain. Humanitarian agencies stress the need for both immediate and sustained support to address the country’s escalating food insecurity.
