Sudan Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

Sudan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with nearly 19.5 million people (two out of every five) experiencing crisis levels of acute food insecurity, according to a joint warning from the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme, and UNICEF. Approximately 135,000 people are facing catastrophic food insecurity, with 14 hotspots in Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan at risk of famine. The civil conflict, now in its fourth year, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has displaced close to nine million people and severely disrupted agriculture, trade, and access to humanitarian aid. An estimated 825,000 children under five are expected to suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition in 2026, a 25 percent increase from pre-conflict levels. The collapse of basic services, including non-functional health facilities and lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, further exacerbates the crisis. Humanitarian access is severely constrained by insecurity and bureaucratic impediments, and only 20 percent of Sudan's 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has been funded. The Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme, and UNICEF are calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians, unimpeded humanitarian access, and urgent international funding to prevent further loss of life and starvation.