A coalition of 31 Western countries, including the United States and European Union member states, issued a joint statement expressing alarm over the humanitarian situation in Sudan. The signatories—which also included the UK, Canada, Switzerland, and Norway—urged the warring parties to cease blocking humanitarian assistance and allow aid access to prevent famine conditions.
According to the statement, the conflict is the primary factor driving the food security crisis, having damaged infrastructure and disrupted agricultural production. Current estimates indicate that 19.5 million people, representing 41% of Sudan’s population, are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. Among these, five million people face emergency levels of hunger, with projections suggesting that more than 825,000 children could suffer from severe acute malnutrition without immediate intervention.
The humanitarian challenges have been compounded by environmental factors and funding constraints. Aid organizations report that weather-related drought affecting more than half of the country has reduced food availability, while funding for humanitarian operations remains insufficient. As of September, only 40% of the country’s 2026 humanitarian needs plan had been funded according to available figures.
The conflict, which began in April 2023, has created mass displacement, with 14 million people uprooted from their homes. Returning residents have encountered destroyed and looted properties, further complicating recovery efforts. The statement attributed systematic obstruction of humanitarian access by conflicting parties as a barrier to relief delivery.
The signatories called on all parties to the conflict to assume responsibility for reducing civilian suffering and to remove all impediments to humanitarian assistance, emphasizing the need for rapid and unimpeded aid access throughout the country.
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