Sudan famine driven by conflict, denial, and international complacency: report

March 23, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan is facing one of the worst man-made famines in recent history, fueled by deliberate violence, denial by authorities, and a lack of decisive international action, a new report released on Saturday said.

The report, titled “Famine Denial in Sudan: Not Only Irrational but Also Irresponsible,” was published by Fikra for Studies and Development. It argues that over 24 million people are facing acute hunger, with the worst levels of famine already confirmed in parts of the Darfur region.

The report directly accuses the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of “weaponizing hunger” through tactics such as destroying crops, looting humanitarian aid, and besieging civilian populations. It also criticizes the Sudanese government for its “dangerous withdrawal from reality,” citing its refusal to acknowledge the famine, the dismantling of early warning systems, and the bureaucratic obstruction of aid access.

“Denial, in this context, is not just irrational. It is deadly,” the report states.

International actors are also heavily criticized. The report points to a “silence on the UAE’s complicity in arming the RSF” and a “false equivalence” drawn between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF. It argues that this, combined with a collapse in global humanitarian funding, is exacerbating the crisis.

Beyond analysis, the report offers actionable recommendations for Sudanese authorities, international partners, and aid agencies. These include dismantling barriers to aid delivery, re-establishing trust between stakeholders, and prioritizing the delivery of life-saving assistance. It calls for a new, locally-driven, functional, neutral, and accountable humanitarian framework.

“Sudan’s famine is not inevitable,” the report concludes. “It is the result of deliberate actions—and it can be reversed by different ones. The time to act is now.”

The full report is available at: https://rb.gy/hts67c