As warnings go, few are as stark as the one issued by the Norwegian Refugee Council on September 3, 2023, stating: “Sudan is experiencing a starvation crisis of historic proportions. Every opportunity to head off the worst of this situation has been missed, and now the people of Sudan face a crisis unmatched in decades.” The reality of this unfolding famine is both alarming and heart-wrenching, with dire predictions that it could surpass some of the most devastating hunger crises of the last 40 years.
This blog post delves into the factors driving this catastrophe, exploring the famine’s origins, the role of the ongoing war, and its horrifying potential to eclipse even the infamous Ethiopian famine of the mid-1980s. By shedding light on the immense human suffering taking place in Sudan, we aim to inform and raise awareness about a crisis that has, to a large extent, been overshadowed by global conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and other regions.
The Grim Projections: Could This Be the Worst Famine in Four Decades?
The crisis currently ravaging Sudan is staggering in its scale and potential for devastation. According to researchers, this famine has the potential to be the largest and most deadly the world has seen in decades. Some experts are cautioning that it could rival or even surpass other humanitarian disasters such as Yemen in 2018, Ethiopia in the 1980s, and North Korea in the early 1990s. The comparisons to these devastating events give a sense of just how extreme the situation in Sudan could become.
One particularly grim projection comes from researchers at the Klingendal Institute in the Netherlands. They posit that the famine in Sudan may result in more deaths than Ethiopia’s tragic 1984 famine, which killed over a million people. Even more pessimistic estimates suggest that the death toll could eventually exceed those from the Chinese famine during the Great Leap Forward in the late 1950s and early 1960s, which claimed tens of millions of lives.
Such a catastrophe is almost unimaginable to those of us living in more comfortable circumstances, where the idea of tens of millions of people starving to death in a single event seems like something relegated to history books. But the warning signs are already here, and the scale of the looming disaster is beginning to emerge.
Early Signs: The Crisis Is Already Here
While projections and warnings paint a bleak future, the truth is that the famine in Sudan is already unfolding. In August 2023, the United Nations declared that the Zamzam refugee camp in the country had reached level five on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) scale. This is a rare and deeply concerning milestone, marking only the third time in two decades that anywhere on Earth has hit this level, which denotes an official famine. According to reports from Médecins Sans Frontières, a child dies every two hours in Zamzam due to starvation or related diseases.
Sadly, Zamzam is not an outlier. The UN has indicated that numerous other regions across Sudan are experiencing similarly dire conditions. However, with much of the country engulfed in conflict, reliable data is difficult to come by, leaving the world relying on anecdotal evidence to comprehend the full extent of the crisis. These anecdotes are sobering, to say the least. For instance, in one of the last functioning medical facilities in South Darfur, doctors report that between four and five children are dying each day from malnutrition.
Nationally, the numbers are even more staggering. The Norwegian Refugee Council estimates that up to 25 million people in Sudan are facing hunger, with many of the worst-affected areas witnessing people resorting to eating insects and leaves in a desperate attempt to survive.
A Perfect Storm: War, Starvation, and Collapse
The question that naturally follows is: How did this happen? How did a modern nation like Sudan fall into such an abyss of starvation and destruction? The answer, as is often the case in such catastrophes, lies in war.
The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 as a brutal power struggle between two factions: the Sudanese Army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. What began as a battle for control has devolved into an all-out war that has decimated the country, destroying infrastructure, obliterating cities, and turning 20% of Sudan’s population into refugees.
The violence has been shocking in its intensity, even in a world already saturated with images of destruction from Ukraine, Gaza, and elsewhere. The capital, Khartoum, once a bustling metropolis, has been reduced to rubble. Across the country, vital resources have been obliterated, further deepening the starvation crisis.
In addition to the destruction wrought by war, the agricultural sector, already struggling due to economic instability, high inflation, and climate shocks like droughts and floods, has been utterly decimated. According to reports from NGOs and the United Nations, 40% of Sudan’s farmers have been unable to till their land this year due to insecurity. Those who have managed to farm often find themselves unable to sell their crops, as markets have been repeatedly bombed, and trucks carrying food have been looted.
This has triggered a massive spike in food prices, with basic staples now costing 150% more than they did before the war. In comparison, food inflation in the United States during its peak in 2022 was just 13.5%, highlighting the scale of the crisis in Sudan.
Weaponizing Food: A Strategy of Starvation
While the war itself is a key driver of the famine, there is an even more sinister aspect at play: the deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war. Both the RSF and the Sudanese Army have employed tactics that have directly exacerbated the hunger crisis, with food supplies being deliberately cut off to key areas.
The RSF has been particularly brutal in this regard. In regions under their control, such as the city of Al Fasher in North Darfur and the surrounding refugee camps, the RSF has placed communities under siege, cutting off access to food and basic supplies. With millions of people trapped in these areas, the potential for a large-scale humanitarian disaster is immense.
Yet, the Sudanese Army under General al-Burhan is also guilty of using food as a weapon. Despite being recognized by the United Nations as the official government of Sudan, al-Burhan’s forces have obstructed humanitarian aid to RSF-held areas, even going so far as to block overland aid from neighboring Chad. Although some aid has been allowed through since mid-August, it is limited and heavily delayed.
This strategy of starvation has left entire regions of Sudan teetering on the brink of disaster. Aid organizations have reported that up to 90% of those facing famine are in RSF-controlled areas, where the ongoing conflict has decimated food supplies.
The Global Response: Apathy Amid Catastrophe?
The international response to Sudan’s crisis has been woefully inadequate. Despite the growing death toll and the staggering number of people at risk of starvation, the world’s attention has largely remained focused on other global crises. The war in Ukraine, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and other geopolitical tensions have all but overshadowed Sudan’s suffering.
While both the Sudanese Army and the RSF receive support from international backers—Egypt and Iran for the Army, and the UAE for the RSF—none of these countries have shown any real inclination to push for peace. The 16 ceasefires agreed upon since the war began have all been ignored, and diplomatic efforts have so far been futile.
This lack of action has only deepened the sense of despair for Sudan’s starving population. As things stand, the tragic famine may only escalate further, driven by two power-hungry generals who seem indifferent to the massive human suffering their conflict is causing.
Conclusion: The World’s Forgotten Crisis
Sudan is now facing what could become one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the 21st century. With millions at risk of starvation and no end to the conflict in sight, the crisis is set to worsen in the months and years ahead.
As the world’s focus remains on other global issues, Sudan’s plight risks being forgotten. Yet, if the predictions hold true, this famine could soon become infamous as the greatest hunger catastrophe of the past few decades—a grim testament to the devastating impact of war, economic collapse, and the weaponization of food.
In the face of such immense human suffering, it is crucial that the global community turns its attention to Sudan and acts before this crisis reaches its most catastrophic potential.
FAQs About the Sudan Famine Crisis
Q: What are the main causes of the famine in Sudan?
A: The primary causes include the ongoing war between the Sudanese Army and the RSF, which has devastated the country’s infrastructure and agricultural sector. Economic instability, inflation, and climate shocks like droughts and floods have also contributed significantly.
Q: How many people are at risk of starvation in Sudan?
A: Up to 25 million people in Sudan may be facing hunger, with an estimated 750,000 already in famine conditions and millions more at emergency levels of food insecurity.
Q: What is the role of international aid in addressing the famine?
A: International aid efforts have been hampered by the ongoing conflict, with both the Sudanese Army and the RSF blocking or restricting aid deliveries. While some aid has reached the country, it is far from sufficient to address the growing crisis.
Q: Could this famine become one of the worst in modern history?
A: Yes, if current projections hold true, this famine could become the deadliest the world has seen in decades, potentially surpassing other catastrophic events like the Ethiopian famine of the 1980s and even China’s Great Leap Forward.
Q: Is there any hope for peace in Sudan?
A: Despite 16 ceasefires being agreed upon, none have held, and the conflict shows no signs of abating. International diplomacy has so far failed to bring about a lasting peace, meaning the crisis is likely to continue.
