Sudan Denies Famine Report Findings

Khartoum, Dec 30 (NationPress) Sudan has firmly rejected a report from an international organization that suggests famine is sweeping through the country.

The Sudanese government labeled the report, recently published by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global hunger monitoring body, as being founded on inaccurate criteria and speculative conclusions.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "The report relied on outdated data, remote communications, and secondary references, which raises doubts about its credibility."

The government emphasized its steadfast dedication to easing the hardships faced by its citizens, improving food security, and tackling the underlying issues of the humanitarian crisis.

In the report published earlier this week, the IPC indicated that famine is currently affecting at least five regions in Sudan, including the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur and certain areas of the Western Nuba Mountains. The report also highlighted that 17 additional regions in Sudan are at risk of experiencing famine.

Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a severe conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, resulting in over 29,680 fatalities and displacing more than 14 million individuals within or beyond the country's borders, as per recent estimates by international organizations, including the Xinhua news agency.

On December 25, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concerns about the rapidly deteriorating food security situation in Sudan and urged the conflicting parties to allow humanitarian aid access, according to a statement from his spokesperson.

Following over 20 months of conflict, more than 24.6 million people in Sudan — representing over half the population — are facing severe food insecurity, as indicated by the latest UN-supported assessment.

The IPC's report confirmed that famine is present in at least five regions of Sudan, including the Zamzam camp in North Darfur and parts of the Western Nuba Mountains. The situation is expected to worsen, with five more regions anticipated to face famine between December 2024 and May 2025.

The statement noted that the United Nations and its affiliates are intensifying food assistance and other critical support for the most vulnerable populations; however, ongoing hostilities and restrictions on humanitarian operations continue to jeopardize aid delivery.

Guterres reiterated his appeal for the warring parties to guarantee rapid, safe, unhindered, and continuous access for humanitarian assistance and personnel to reach those in need.

He also emphasized the urgent requirement for an immediate halt to fighting to prevent the worsening crisis in Sudan and its repercussions on neighboring nations in 2025.