US, EU, and 30 Countries Warn of Famine Risk in Sudan, Urge Aid

The United States, the European Union, and 30 countries have issued a joint warning about an “alarming deterioration” in food security in Sudan, urging “urgent action” to prevent famine in the African nation. In a joint statement released by the U.S. State Department on Monday, the signatories called on the warring factions in Sudan’s civil war to “lift all impediments on humanitarian assistance.”

Highlights

• The U.S., EU, and 30 countries have warned of an alarming decline in food security and an increased risk of famine in Sudan.
• The joint statement urged warring parties to remove all obstacles to humanitarian aid and refrain from harming civilians and infrastructure.
• The conflict in Sudan has been ongoing since April 2023, displacing over 13 million people.
• The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that 5.1 million people face severe hunger.
• The international community is called upon to urgently scale up funding in response to growing needs.

Details

Signatories to the joint statement included Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, among others. The statement emphasized that the risk of famine in the coming months, as warned by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed hunger monitor, requires immediate action. It highlighted that the parties to the conflict bear primary responsibility for alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people.

The war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023, beginning with clashes in the capital, Khartoum. This conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, displaced over 13 million people, and created the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises. According to the IPC, 5.1 million people faced severe hunger in June.

Farmers have struggled to harvest crops since the war began, and a drought linked to El Nino has driven up food prices and reduced supplies this year. The statement warned that without immediate action, the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could exceed the projected 825,000.

Why it matters

This appeal underscores the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and the international community's deep concern. The escalating risk of famine further endangers the lives of millions already in dire circumstances. The call for warring parties to remove aid impediments addresses one of the most significant obstacles to delivering humanitarian assistance to those in need, highlighting the critical importance of international cooperation.