UN agencies: 19.5 million in Sudan face acute food insecurity as civil war continues

Nearly 19.5 million people in Sudan are facing acute food insecurity while famine risks persist in several conflict-hit areas, three UN agencies warned Friday, as the country's civil war enters its fourth year. In a joint statement, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and UNICEF said two out of every five people in Sudan are experiencing crisis levels of hunger or worse.

Catastrophic conditions

Although the latest IPC analysis did not identify areas currently experiencing famine, around 135,000 people are facing catastrophic food insecurity in 14 hotspots across Darfur and South Kordofan, with conditions feared to worsen during the June-September lean season. More than five million people are classified under emergency hunger levels, while another 14 million are in crisis conditions, the agencies said.

Child malnutrition crisis

The statement warned of a worsening nutrition crisis, with an estimated 825,000 children under five expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition in 2026, marking a 7% rise from last year. "Famine continues to threaten the people of Sudan, as hunger and malnutrition are threatening millions of lives right now," WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said.

Inadequate aid

The agencies said humanitarian assistance remains "critically inadequate compared to the scale of needs," with only 20% of Sudan's 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan funded as of April. They called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urged the international community to increase funding and humanitarian access.