US, EU and 30 countries warn of 'alarming deterioration' in Sudan's food security and urge warring parties to let aid through

The United States, the European Union and 30 countries warned of an “alarming deterioration” in food security in Sudan and called for “urgent action” to prevent famine, in a joint statement released by the US State Department on Monday 26 October, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported.

“The risk of famine in the coming months, as warned by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, needs urgent action,” the statement said. “The parties to the conflict bear primary responsibility for alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people.”

The signatories called on Sudan’s warring parties “to lift all impediments on humanitarian assistance”, to allow aid through all routes across front lines and borders, including air access to Darfur, to protect humanitarian workers and to stop hitting civilian infrastructure. Without immediate action, they said, “the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could exceed the projected 825,000”. They also urged other countries to “urgently scale up funding”.

Besides the US, the statement was signed by Australia, Canada and 28 European countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and by the EU’s commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management.

Background

Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been at war since April 2023. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 13 million. In June, the UN-backed hunger monitor known as the IPC said 5.1 million people in Sudan faced severe hunger; it has said a drought linked to El Niño pushed food prices up this year.

Last month the State Department said that neither the army nor the RSF “represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan”.