In the face of ongoing conflicts in the Horn of Africa, Sudan finds itself at a critical juncture, grappling with an intensifying hunger crisis exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and aid funding cuts. As the World Food Programme sheds light on the dire situation, the urgency of international support becomes increasingly clear for a nation struggling to sustain its agricultural foundations amid rising costs and disrupted supply chains.
Sudan is on the brink of a deepening hunger crisis, with ongoing conflicts, significant cuts to aid funding, and soaring agricultural costs undermining food security. Carl Skau, the acting executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), has raised alarms over the gravity of the situation, marking Sudan as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. According to Skau, recent developments have left more than 100,000 individuals in famine-like conditions, classified within the highest level of the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
Despite significant responses to previous humanitarian appeals, approximately five million people still face emergency or catastrophic hunger levels. The IPC indicates that nearly 19.5 million people across Sudan are grappling with high levels of acute food insecurity. Skau pointed to recent clashes in el-Obeid, North Kordofan, raising concerns that the city could experience a humanitarian collapse similar to that witnessed in el-Fasher, Darfur. There, combat and siege conditions have obstructed aid delivery, while significant humanitarian infractions by the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have compounded the crisis.
Encouragingly, reports suggest a slight decline in violence around el-Obeid, creating partial optimism that aid deliveries may increase from 100,000 to 250,000 people in the area. However, the WFP’s concerns persist as renewed conflicts in Darfur have recently forced the closure of the Tine border crossing—a crucial supply route from Chad—endangering previous progress in food security.
Throughout the country, the WFP has had to scale back its assistance, dropping from five million beneficiaries a year ago to about 3.5 million people currently. The organization has also reduced rations in many areas, including Tawila in Darfur, amidst a 6 million funding gap precipitated by cuts from major donors, including the United States and European nations.
The implications of soaring diesel prices and fertilizer shortages, linked to ongoing conflicts in the Gulf and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, could critically hinder Sudan’s food security during the planting season. Sudan relies heavily on fertilizer imports from Gulf nations, and many farmers may find it prohibitively expensive to operate essential irrigation pumps.
As the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF escalates into its fourth year, the situation remains dire, with millions displaced and the overall landscape devastated. Humanitarian access is limited, and aid agencies continue to issue urgent warnings regarding the deteriorating food security in the region. The international community’s response to this crisis is essential, as the humanitarian needs become increasingly acute in a nation at the crossroads.
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