2024 Sudan famine

Throughout 2024, the population of Sudan suffered from severe malnutrition and famine conditions as a result of the Sudanese civil war beginning in 2023, primarily in Darfur, Kordofan, and neighboring refugee-taking nations such as Chad.^[4] On 1 August, the Global Famine Review Committee released a report officially declaring that it was possible that IPC Phase 5 famine conditions were ongoing in North Darfur near Al-Fashir and there was a high risk of similar conditions throughout internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.^[5] Human rights groups say famine conditions were caused in part by deliberate attempts by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to siege and loot cities with civilians trapped in them and by both sides blocking off supply routes making it difficult to allow food and humanitarian aid to flow through.^[4] More than 1,050 deaths^[6] have been caused by the famine and over 9 million people have been displaced as a result of the famine and war.^[7] According to a September 2024 article published in Time, the situation in Sudan "is the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe… and the world’s largest hunger crisis."^[8]

Prior to the 2024 Sudan famine, Sudan has experienced two previous famines. These were caused by scorched earth military tactics throughout the civil war that caused the displacement of thousands which led to erosion of the earth and native crops. These famines taking place in 1993 and 1998 both set a precedent and introduced a weakness into the farming and food chain of Sudan that would allow the 2024 famine to attack with severity.^[9] As a result of the Sudanese civil war, supplies such as food and water were becoming "extremely acute."^[10]

As of 18 June, 25.6 million people were reportedly suffering from acute food shortages. Of these, 756,000 people faced "catastrophic levels of hunger."^[11] This was due to many citizens who relied on food rations from the World Food Programme (WFP) having their daily calories reduced by close to 20% compared to two months ago due to only 19% of the WFP's funding objective being achieved. Many Sudanese civilians were forced to trade WFP food rations for less balanced and nutritious but more filling food, like white rice.^[12]

Contributing reasons for this were cereal production in Darfur and Kordofan falling to 80% below average production in 2023, leading to significant price increases that make food too expensive for most people to subsist on for long periods. According to a U.S. envoy to Sudan, the RSF burned crops, looted warehouses, and restricted border access, which the RSF denied as being due to rogue actors within its ranks and blamed the Sudanese military for aid restrictions. Many refugee camps considerably grew in population due to the increased rate of refugee intake, further exacerbating food shortages and causing supplies to deplete faster. Refugees are often unable to leave the camps to find work or food due to the danger of being captured or killed by the RSF or other allied militias.^[13]

In May 2023, the WFP said that $13-14 million worth of food aid destined for Sudan had been looted.^[14] The looting of the WFP's warehouses in El-Obeid on 1 June led to the loss of food aid meant to feed 4.4 million people.^[15] On 25 July, Humanitarian Coordinator Clementine Nkweta-Salami said attacks on humanitarian facilities had led to more than 50 warehouses looted, 82 offices ransacked, and over 200 vehicles stolen.^[16]

In addition, malnutrition causes lower immune system function, leading to greater susceptibility to diseases such as measles, malaria, cholera, and other gastrointestinal diseases. These in turn led to symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea that further exacerbated malnutrition.^[13]

On 1 August, the Global Famine Review Committee officially determined that there were IPC Phase 5 famine conditions ongoing in the Zamzam IDP camp near Al-Fashir, with plausible evidence of famine occurring in the nearby Al Salam and Abu Shouk camps. According to UNICEF's website, for a famine to be declared, citizens and children must have already begun to "die from hunger and related conditions including malnutrition and infection".^[17][18] Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) reviews conducted by MSF and the State Ministry of Health from late March to early April 2024 showed that about 33.7% of civilians in West Darfur suffered from global acute malnutrition, as well as 29.4% of children tested in the Zamzam IDP camp and 20% in the general Al-Fashir area. Satellite imaging analysis on the Zamzam camp indicated a ~26% faster rate of increase in counted graves between 18 December 2023 and 3 May 2024 relative to a similar period in 2022-2023. At least 64 deaths were determined to be caused by malnutrition or diseases caused or exacerbated by malnutrition in Zamzam camp, with fifteen of the reported deaths being children under five.^[5]

On the same day, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network declared a state of famine at the Zamzam IDP camp in El Fasher.^[19] On 13 August, civilian authorities affiliated with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N) declared a state of famine over parts of South Kordofan, including the Nuba Mountains, and Blue Nile States affecting around three million people.^[20][21] By 22 August, at least 109 deaths from malnutrition had been recorded in the said areas.^[22] By 17 October, at least 646 people had died from malnutrition in the Nuba Mountains, while 404 others died in New Fung, Blue Nile State.^[6]

On 18 June 2024, the UN Director of Operations and Advocacy Edem Wosornu stated that nearly five million people were facing "emergency levels of food insecurity," which included 800,000 vulnerable people in Al-Fashir, North Darfur, including women, children, older adults, and people with disabilities. She reported that "over 2 million people in 41 hunger hotspots" were on the cusp of catastrophic famine and that 7,000 new mothers could die without proper food and medical supplies.^[12] Officials from the United States reported that the situation in Sudan was "the world's most severe humanitarian crisis" despite the relatively low amount of media attention it received and that it had the potential to become the worst famine since the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia.^[23]

Around 3.6 million children were reported to be "acutely malnourished."^[24] OCHA reported that there was a significant increase in disease, especially cholera, interacting with the malnutrition these children are suffering from.^[25] The Kalma refugee camp reported that 28 children died of malnutrition coupled with disease in two weeks in May and that at least one child passed away every day from these conditions. Reuters found that 14 Darfur graveyards were expanding quicker than in the second half of 2023, indicating the increased impact malnutrition and disease had on the refugee population.^[2] 196 refugee children in Chad died directly from acute malnutrition.^[26]

The United States granted US$315 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan and refugee-receiving countries including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.^[27]

The United Arab Emirates set aside 70% of its US$100 million humanitarian pledge to give to Sudan and surrounding countries affected by the humanitarian crisis. The UAE planned to allocate the money to several UN humanitarian agencies to prevent further deterioration of famine conditions. Proposed aid included food distribution, building and supplying field hospitals, creating emergency shelters, and protecting women vulnerable to the crisis.^[28]

Sudanese agriculture minister Abubakr El Bishri denied that there was on ongoing famine in the country and accused humanitarian organizations of seeking to open the country's borders to "smuggle weapons and equipment" to the RSF.^[29]

As of September 2024, the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Responses Plan is still underfunded with less than 50% of its desired US$2.7 billion fulfilled. However, the Adre border crossing point has been re-opened to Sudan.^[30]

On 27 September, the SPLM-N accused the Sudanese government of obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to famine-stricken areas.^[31]

On 23 November, an aid convoy from the WFP arrived in Zamzam IDP camp for the first time since the declaration of famine in the area in August.^[32] On 26 November, the Sudanese government accused the RSF of looting aid from a WFP convoy travelling from Port Sudan to Zamzam IDP camp as it passed through Armel, on the border between West and North Kordofan, adding that the looted items were diverted to Nyala.^[33]

• 2017 South Sudan famine
• 1998 Sudan famine
• 1993 Sudan famine

• August 2024 IPC Famine Review at Reliefweb
• Emergency in Sudan at the World Food Programme
• Sudan Compounded Crises at the International Rescue Committee
• Humanitarian Situation - Sudan at Reliefweb