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The United States and 30 other countries have called for urgent action to prevent famine in Sudan as the ongoing war worsens food insecurity.
The US State Department issued a joint statement on Monday warning of an “alarming deterioration” in the country’s food security. The nations said immediate action was needed to save lives and prevent a deeper hunger crisis.
The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023. Aid workers estimate that it has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced over 13 million. It has also created the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.
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“The risk of famine in the coming months, as warned by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, needs urgent action,” the statement said. “There is no time to lose to save lives and prevent famine.”
The statement said about 19.5 million people, representing more than 40 per cent of Sudan’s population, are facing acute food insecurity. Of this number, five million people are experiencing emergency levels of hunger.
The countries also warned that child malnutrition could worsen without immediate intervention.
“Without immediate action to reverse the current trajectory, the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could exceed the projected 825,000,” the statement said.
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It added that the number of areas facing food insecurity in Sudan was expected to double. The 31 countries called on both warring parties to remove barriers to humanitarian aid and protect aid workers.
They urged the forces “to lift all impediments on humanitarian assistance, allow and facilitate full, safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access, and protect humanitarian personnel.”
The statement was signed by the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
