Humanitarian organisations warn a “man-made famine” in Sudan threatens to cause the most catastrophic death toll in decades.
In Sudan, fighting broke out between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023. The conflict occurred after a plan to integrate them failed and warring generals seized territory.
755,000 people in Sudan are on the brink of starvation, the UN-backed study says. The study found that there had not been this number of deaths since the 1980s, when Ethiopia faced a massive famine that killed 1.2 million people, leaving 400,000 refugees outside the country, 2.5 million trapped in the country and nearly 200,000 orphans.
Barrett Alexander, Mercy Corps’ programme director in Sudan, warned the figures might be grossly underestimated. The reason is that the conflict has displaced farmers from the country’s agricultural areas, jeopardising the next harvest. He said the following about the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Initiative’s forecast:
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a little bit higher than that number. We’re seeing a man-made likely famine happening in front of our eyes that’s primarily conflict-induced.
IPC reported of almost 26 million people (half of the country’s population) facing severe food shortages, while 755,000 people are in catastrophic conditions. The humanitarian need goes so far that, according to Eatizaz Yousif, Sudan country director for the International Rescue Committee, there have already been reports of people resorting to eating grass in South Kordofan state. While in Washington, Yousif warned:
Definitely we will be seeing very soon people dying from a lack of food in different parts of the country. It’s definitely a man-made hunger crisis because we don’t have a problem with the level of grain at this time.
She accused the warring parties of looting food depots and harassing or killing aid workers. Alexander also said both sides have imposed burdensome bureaucratic procedures, including requiring permits for aid workers.
The United States, for its part, has sought to bring the warring sides back to the negotiating table, but sees little interest as diplomats believe both sides believe they can win on the battlefield. Samantha Power, head of the US Agency for International Development, stressed the two parties “must negotiate an immediate ceasefire to facilitate predictable and sustained humanitarian access to all Sudanese and remain at the negotiating table to end this conflict.”
Amid the deteriorating situation in the country and multiple conflicts around the world, donors have provided only 17 per cent of the $2.7 billion requested by the UN to assist Sudan. Yousif called on world leaders to be more proactive in providing aid to Sudan:
Compare Sudan with crises like Gaza and Ukraine – maybe they are more important in the geopolitical arena. If you see the number of displaced and the number of humans suffering, Sudan should be on the top of humanitarian attention.
