Sudan on the Brink: Famine Warnings from the World Food Programme

Sudan is now on the verge of one of the world’s worst hunger emergencies in recent memory. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning: famine is dangerously close to breaking out in the southern suburbs of Khartoum. Jabal Awliya, located 40 kilometers from the capital, is among the hardest-hit. The region, devastated by war, now suffers from a deadly combination of hunger, disease, and displacement.

How Civil War Ignited a Hunger Crisis

Since April 2023, Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a devastating power struggle. In March 2025, the SAF announced the recapture of Khartoum and declared the capital cleared of rebel forces. However, the damage was already done. Infrastructure collapsed, markets shut down, and transportation routes were destroyed cutting off food, medicine, and aid.

Hunger in Numbers: The Alarming Scale of the Crisis

Today, nearly 24.6 million people—about half of Sudan’s population—face acute food insecurity. Among them, over 638,000 people are experiencing catastrophic hunger, marking the worst global hunger level on record. The conflict has internally displaced 12.5 million people, and famine has already been declared in five regions, including heavily crowded displacement camps in the southwest. El-Fasher, another major city, is teetering on the edge of famine.

WFP Response Hampered by Funding Shortfall

Despite immense operational challenges, the WFP is currently delivering food assistance to 4 million people in Sudan. Yet due to a severe funding gap, rations in famine-threatened areas have been reduced by 30%. Although the agency recently regained access to Khartoum and several other high-risk zones, ongoing instability continues to disrupt humanitarian operations. To maintain and expand its life-saving work through September 2025, the WFP requires at least $650 million in emergency funding.

WFP’s Ground Report: Desperation in Jabal Awliya

WFP’s Sudan country director, Laurent Bukera, painted a grim picture after visiting affected areas. He confirmed that residents in places like Jabal Awliya are facing “severe hunger, poverty, and desperation.” With many returning to destroyed neighborhoods, the demand for food, water, and medical support is escalating rapidly. Bukera urgently appealed for international funding, warning that “enormous needs require immediate action.”

Collapsing Infrastructure and Cholera Outbreaks

Conditions in the famine-threatened areas are deteriorating fast. Water supplies are contaminated, electricity is unavailable, and healthcare systems are overwhelmed. A rapidly spreading cholera outbreak is adding pressure to already strained resources. In many places, ghost towns are all that remain—entire communities have been abandoned, and survivors are left clinging to hope without support.

Barriers to Aid: Attacks, Insecurity, and Delays

Delivering aid has become a deadly challenge. Convoys traveling through Darfur have been attacked, while ongoing violence in contested regions has prevented consistent food delivery. The humanitarian community is calling for unrestricted access, but political and security barriers remain. Despite a global outcry, peace talks and ceasefire efforts have largely stalled.

Why Global Action Must Happen Now

The WFP has emphasized that an additional $150 million is needed to support Sudanese refugees who have crossed into neighboring countries. Without an immediate infusion of funds and decisive international pressure to establish humanitarian corridors, the consequences could be catastrophic—not just for Sudan, but for regional stability as well. Sudan could become the world’s largest famine disaster in decades, with long-lasting implications for neighboring nations and global security.

Time Is Running Out to Save Millions

Sudan is at a dangerous tipping point. With famine declared in five regions and millions teetering on the edge of survival, global response must move from pledges to tangible action. Every delay deepens the crisis. Funding, humanitarian access, and a ceasefire are not optional—they are essential to preventing mass death, further displacement, and irreversible devastation.