Sudan Faces Worst Global Hunger Crisis as War Enters Third Year, UN Warns

According to UN human rights experts, approximately 24.6 million people — half the country’s population — are now suffering from acute food insecurity.

As Sudan’s brutal conflict drags into its third year, the country teeters on the brink of total collapse amid what United Nations experts have described as the worst hunger crisis in the world. The devastating war, marked by relentless violence, mass displacement, and the near-collapse of the agricultural sector, is pushing millions of Sudanese toward famine, with catastrophic consequences looming unless immediate international intervention is undertaken.

A Nation Starving: Alarming Hunger Levels Reached

According to UN human rights experts, approximately 24.6 million people — half the country’s population — are now suffering from acute food insecurity. Among them, at least 638,000 individuals are facing catastrophic hunger, marking a record high in the nation’s history.

“Sudan is experiencing the most extreme hunger crisis globally,” said the experts in a grim assessment. “Without immediate humanitarian intervention, hundreds of thousands could perish.”

The crisis is being driven by a complex combination of conflict-related displacement, the collapse of farming and food systems, economic instability, and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian assistance. The experts have confirmed that famine is already present in five areas, with projections indicating that at least five more regions will reach famine levels between December 2024 and May 2025. An additional 17 regions remain at high risk.

Children and Civilians Caught in Relentless Violence

Children are among the most vulnerable in the ongoing conflict, continuously exposed to the horrors of aerial bombardments and ground combat. Many have sustained life-altering injuries, lost access to education, and endured psychological trauma. With health facilities overwhelmed or destroyed, countless families lack access to even the most basic healthcare.

“The suffering inflicted on children by this war is unconscionable,” the UN experts said, calling for urgent protection and support services.

Reports from conflict-affected areas suggest that reprisal attacks, summary executions, and mass displacement have become widespread. In the capital, Khartoum, and in the states of Al-Gazirah and Sennar, civilians returning to their homes have found neighborhoods in ruins and no access to clean water, food, or basic services.

Mass Displacement and the Collapse of Agriculture

The scale of displacement is unprecedented in Sudan’s history. Since the war began in April 2023, over 8.6 million people have been internally displaced, while nearly 4 million have fled across borders into neighboring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.

The displacement of farmers, destruction of farmland, and looting of essential agricultural equipment have led to a near-collapse of Sudan’s farming sector. With two consecutive farming seasons lost, food production has plummeted, and supply chains have disintegrated. This has created a vicious cycle of food scarcity, hunger, and conflict, particularly in rural areas where agriculture is a lifeline for two-thirds of the population.

The situation is compounded by exorbitant food prices, with sorghum and wheat flour more than double the price they were in early 2024, placing even basic staples out of reach for millions.

Obstructed Aid and Deliberate Attacks on Humanitarian Workers

The international community’s ability to respond has been gravely compromised. Both warring parties — the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) — have been accused of blocking, looting, and weaponizing aid, preventing life-saving assistance from reaching those in need.

In recent months, funding cuts have forced the closure of many emergency food kitchens, and the ability to pre-position supplies ahead of the approaching rainy season has been severely limited. The experts also expressed alarm at targeted attacks on humanitarian workers, particularly local responders and human rights defenders.

“Humanitarian workers have been targeted, threatened, and killed,” the experts said. “Those documenting atrocities, including acts of sexual and gender-based violence, have also faced systematic persecution.”

Information Blackouts and Escalating Insecurity

An ongoing internet blackout has made it increasingly difficult to verify reports from inside the country, with experts warning that the true scale of the crisis could be even worse than current data suggests. The blackout is hampering both relief coordination and accountability efforts.

“The restoration of internet access is essential for transparency, communication, and documentation of human rights violations,” the experts urged.

Civilians in areas recently taken by the SAF, including Khartoum, report reprisal attacks and arbitrary executions, with civilians being accused of collaborating with rival forces. A climate of fear pervades these regions, making survival a daily challenge.

Urgent Global Action Required

The UN experts have issued an urgent plea for the international community — including private sector actors — to step up in solidarity and respond to what is now the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

They emphasized the need to establish safe, alternative humanitarian corridors, pressure warring parties to facilitate access for aid, and cease third-party support that is fueling the war.

“Support for warring parties must end. It only prolongs the suffering and undermines all efforts toward peace,” the experts stressed. “Without collective global action, Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe will only worsen, with devastating consequences for millions of innocent civilians.”

As the planting season approaches in June, time is running out. Without essential seeds, tools, and protection for farmers, Sudan may lose another harvest — and with it, any hope of stemming the tide of famine.

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Key Figures:

• 24.6 million experiencing acute food insecurity

• 638,000 facing catastrophic hunger

• 8.6 million internally displaced

• 4 million refugees across borders

• 10 regions facing or projected to face famine by May 2025

• 2/3 of population dependent on agriculture

What Needs to Be Done Immediately:

• Reopen and fund emergency food kitchens

• Provide seeds, tools, and protection to farmers before June

• Establish and secure humanitarian corridors

• Restore internet and communication infrastructure

• Protect aid workers and human rights defenders

• End external support to both warring factions

The clock is ticking. For Sudan, every delay means more lives lost.