Joint statement warns of looming famine in Sudan

The European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, together with the governments of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, issued a joint statement on October 26, 2026 warning of an alarming deterioration in Sudan’s food security. The signatories called for urgent action to save lives and prevent famine, according to a press release from the United States Department of State. The statement cited risks flagged by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. It emphasized that there is no time to lose. The signatories collectively called for immediate action from the parties to the conflict and the international community.

An estimated 19.5 million people, or 41% of Sudan’s population, are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. Of these, 5 million face emergency levels of food insecurity. Without immediate action to reverse the current trajectory, the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could exceed the projected 825,000. The number of food insecure areas, initially assessed at 14, is expected to double. These figures underscore the scale of the crisis facing the country.

Conflict is identified as the key driver of Sudan’s hunger crisis, displacing millions of people, damaging critical infrastructure and disrupting healthcare provision, food production, supply chains and markets. The situation is being exacerbated by systematic obstruction of aid and the effects of El Niño, which has resulted in reduced rainfall and increased drought across over half of Sudan. The signatories stated that the parties to the conflict bear primary responsibility for alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people. They urged the parties to lift all impediments on humanitarian assistance. They also called for full, safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access and protection of humanitarian personnel.

The statement outlined specific calls to the parties to the conflict:

• Authorise humanitarian operations through all crossline and cross-border routes, including air access into Darfur which will allow for the rapid deployment of aid operations and timely aid worker medical evacuations;
• Sustain presence and protection of humanitarian personnel throughout Sudan, including reducing delays for visas and customs clearance, increasing the duration of visas and travel permits and removing additional permits, taxations and other bureaucratic requirements slowing aid delivery;
• Refrain from strikes on civilian infrastructure, including agriculture and food systems, which are critical to the delivery of essential services to the civilian population;
• Strengthen civil-military coordination to ensure the safety of humanitarians and humanitarian sites.

The signatories urged all members of the international community to urgently scale up funding in response to increased needs and support efforts to ensure assistance reaches those most in need. They further encouraged development and financial institutions to adapt their ongoing programmes to the food security situation and focus on the areas of greatest need. The statement called for action without delay to avert famine by supporting the winter cropping season and strengthening locally led responses.

“We stand with the people of Sudan and humanitarian organisations who are working tirelessly and under extremely challenging conditions to provide life-saving assistance,” the statement concluded.

The joint declaration closed with a unified appeal to prevent famine in Sudan.