UK, 31 partners warn of rising famine risk in Sudan, call for urgent action

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Sudan is experiencing an alarming deterioration in its food security with 19.5 million people experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, the UK and 31 international partners warned in a joint statement on Friday.

The statement called for urgent action to avert famine in the coming months, citing warnings from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

An estimated 41% of Sudan’s population is facing acute food insecurity, including 5 million people experiencing emergency levels of hunger, according to the statement.

Without immediate intervention, the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could exceed the projected 825,000, while the number of food-insecure areas, initially assessed at 14, is expected to double.

The civil war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023. It has since displaced more than 14 million people and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

“Conflict is the key driver of Sudan’s hunger crisis,” the statement said, noting that fighting has displaced millions, damaged critical infrastructure and disrupted health care, food production, supply chains and markets.

The crisis has been further aggravated by systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid and the effects of El Nino, which has reduced rainfall and increased drought across more than half of the country, it added.

The partners urged the warring parties to remove all obstacles to humanitarian assistance and ensure “full, safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access,” while protecting aid workers.

They called for humanitarian operations to be authorized through all cross-line and cross-border routes, including air access into Darfur, and urged measures to reduce bureaucratic delays affecting aid delivery.

The statement also called on the parties to refrain from attacks on civilian infrastructure, including agricultural and food systems, and strengthen coordination to protect humanitarian personnel and sites.

Urging the international community to scale up funding, the partners stressed the need to support the winter cropping season and strengthen locally led responses.

“Together we must act without delay to avert famine,” the statement said, expressing solidarity with Sudanese people and humanitarian organizations working to deliver life-saving assistance under extremely challenging conditions.

Aysu Biçer