Sudan is on the brink of a catastrophic famine crisis, with worsening starvation and a sharp rise in acute malnutrition affecting millions, according to an independent group of food security experts.
The crisis has now engulfed five regions, leaving approximately 24.6 million people—nearly half of Sudan’s population—in desperate need of food assistance.
This dire situation stems from the ongoing 20-month civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a conflict that has crippled the nation’s infrastructure and disrupted food supplies.
Efforts to mediate peace between the two factions have repeatedly failed. The war erupted from a power struggle between military leaders after the army and RSF jointly staged a coup in 2021.
The UN-backed Famine Review Committee (FRC) has warned that if the conflict persists, an even greater humanitarian catastrophe could unfold. The committee, part of the Integrated Food Phase Classification (IPC) initiative, works alongside UN agencies, aid groups, and governments to monitor and address famine conditions globally.
