Nearly Half of Sudan’s Population Faces Acute Hunger

Almost 45% of Sudan’s population is facing severe levels of hunger, as the country’s humanitarian crisis reaches an extremely dangerous stage, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

Leni Kinsley, a spokesperson for the WFP, said living conditions in areas cut off from aid have deteriorated to catastrophic levels. Ongoing fighting in regions such as Kordofan and El Fasher has made humanitarian access extremely difficult, leaving entire communities isolated from food supplies and basic necessities.

She explained that the closure of key commercial routes has driven prices of essential goods sharply higher, putting food out of reach for millions of people. Many families, she noted, are surviving on no more than one meal a day. Attacks on humanitarian workers and aid convoys have further complicated relief operations, making the delivery of assistance increasingly challenging.

Kinsley highlighted Kadugli as one of the hardest-hit cities, where continued conflict and siege conditions have left residents at extreme risk. While the WFP recently managed to deliver a single aid convoy to the city, she stressed that sustained and regular access is essential to prevent famine and save lives. Humanitarian access, she said, is the critical factor between deadly hunger and the possibility of recovery.

The conflict is currently most intense in Kordofan and, more recently, in and around El Fasher in North Darfur. In contrast, fighting has eased in other areas, including Khartoum, Gezira State, and Sennar. In locations where violence has declined, the WFP has been able to expand its operations, leading to some improvement in conditions.

Despite these gains, Kinsley warned that hunger has escalated to famine levels in areas where conflict persists and humanitarian access remains severely restricted, particularly in El Fasher and Kadugli. Without urgent and sustained international action, she cautioned, millions of lives remain at risk across Sudan.