In brief
The United States and thirty Western states have issued a joint statement warning of a looming famine in Sudan, where a civil war has devastated food production and infrastructure. With 14 million displaced and 19.5 million people facing acute food insecurity, the crisis has escalated to one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies. The letter, released on October 27, urges the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to lift restrictions on humanitarian corridors, citing the risk of widespread child malnutrition. Analysts note that only 40 % of the 2026 humanitarian needs plan has been funded, further exacerbating the dire situation.
The United States, joined by thirty other Western states, issued a joint statement on Friday night urging Sudan’s warring parties to lift barriers to humanitarian aid. The letter raises the alarm that a famine is a real possibility if conflict continues to disrupt supply chains and food production.
According to the World Health Organization, the fighting has created the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet, with more than 33 million people needing assistance. The joint letter cites 19.5 million individuals – 41 % of the population – suffering from acute food insecurity, and five million in emergency hunger zones. It warns that the number of children with severe acute malnutrition could far exceed the 825,000 projected by the distribution system if immediate action is not taken.
Yusuf Roble, regional director for Islamic Relief East Africa, described the stakes on the ground: "There is very little to survive on," he said. He spoke of families returning to Omdurman only to find homes destroyed or looted, and of mothers who have lost the sole breadwinner to the war’s toll. Roble also highlighted funding gaps, noting that only 40 % of the 2026 humanitarian plan has been met as of September.
The joint statement stresses that the parties to the conflict are primarily responsible for alleviating suffering, calling for the removal of all impediments and the grant of safe, rapid, unimpeded access to aid. It cites systematic obstruction of relief efforts and the compounded effects of El Nino‑induced drought across more than half of Sudan as compounding forces.
The civil war, which began in April 2023, follows a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. In June, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification estimated that 5.1 million people faced severe hunger. The flash‑point remains the possibility of famine if military blockades persist.
