The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said Wednesday that its efforts to combat severe hunger in Sudan are beginning to yield positive results, though the country remains one of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises. According to the agency, aid distribution has scaled up in 10 areas where famine was confirmed last year, and in nine of those, the famine risk has now been downgraded. However, famine persists in parts of Darfur and the Kordofan states, where access and resources remain major challenges. Cities such as El-Fasher and Kadugli are particularly affected.
Shaun Hughes, WFP’s regional emergency coordinator, said, “We’re reaching four to five million people each month, but most are receiving reduced rations. Without additional resources, we won’t be able to maintain that level of assistance come January.” Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 over a power struggle between the military and the Rapid Response Forces (RSF), has killed over 40,000 people,though rights groups warn this may be a significant undercount and displaced more than 14 million.
Since early 2025, WFP aid coverage in famine-affected or at-risk areas has tripled, thanks to improved access, including in Khartoum. In Darfur, hundreds of thousands displaced from El-Fasher and other towns have received assistance, with more than 500,000 people arriving in Tawila alone. Hughes emphasized the need for flexibility, saying, “The response needs to be agile. We must reroute convoys and assistance according to a dynamic and insecure situation on the ground.” Currently, more than 21 million Sudanese face acute hunger. The WFP said that with increased funding and access, it could help more people and support conditions for displaced families to return home.
