UK voices concern over rapidly increasing famine, hunger in Sudan

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – The British foreign secretary on Tuesday expressed concern over Sudan’s "deeply alarming" situation and called for immediate action.

David Lammy, citing a recently published study by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IFSPC) on Sudan's deteriorating humanitarian situation, said the country's 24 million people are suffering from rapidly increasing hunger and famine.

“Urgent action is needed to find a political solution and prevent further suffering,” Lammy wrote on X, calling the situation on the ground as “deeply alarming.”

The IFSPC's report published on Tuesday stated that famine is expected to spread further into North Darfur over the next year.

The report, while citing the latest figures, warned that Sudan continues to suffer from a widening famine crisis, starvation, as well as a significant surge in acute malnutrition.

To tackle the dire situation, the Famine Review Committee—a team of independent international food security, nutrition, and mortality experts—called for an end to hostilities, immediate lifesaving humanitarian assistance, unhindered humanitarian access, and scaling up nutrition interventions.

Since April 2023, Sudan has faced violent clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over military reform and integration issues.

The conflict has claimed more than 20,000 lives, displaced millions, and left more than 25 million in dire need of humanitarian aid, according to the UN.