A devastating civil war in Sudan has left over half of the country’s 48 million people in a situation of chronic hunger, with at least 750,000 people on the brink of starvation and death, according to the global authority on famine.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a group of experts from U.N. bodies and major relief agencies, has identified at least 14 areas across Sudan that are near famine, including some in the capital, Khartoum. The situation is dire, with 25.6 million Sudanese, or over half the population, in a food crisis. Of them, 8.5 million are acutely malnourished and 755,000 are in a state of “catastrophe” — essentially, famine conditions.
The crisis is escalating rapidly, with aid experts warning that Sudan is hurtling toward a humanitarian disaster on a scale not seen in decades. The situation is so severe that Edouard Rodier, Europe director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, described it as “possibly the crisis of a generation.”
Despite the alarming numbers, the group has not formally declared a famine in Sudan due to challenges in obtaining reliable data. The country’s health system is collapsing, and aid workers are unable to reach the worst-affected areas due to intense fighting and restrictions imposed by the warring parties.
Experts fear that mass death is already underway and that the situation is likely to deteriorate further in the coming months. A recent study estimated that up to 2.5 million people could die from hunger-related causes in Sudan by October.
The crisis has been exacerbated by the displacement of at least nine million Sudanese from their homes since fighting broke out in April 2023. The areas where the famine threat is highest include Darfur, Khartoum, and Jazeera State, the group said.
Despite the scale of the crisis, Sudan’s war has failed to attract the level of attention seen during the Darfur crisis two decades ago. The United Nations has only received 17 percent of the $2.7 billion it has requested for Sudan, highlighting a lack of global response to the unfolding tragedy.
As the situation continues to worsen, humanitarian organizations are calling on world leaders to take urgent action to prevent further loss of life in Sudan.
