Sudan's Agriculture Minister Denies Famine Despite Alarming Hunger Data

In Summary

• Sudan's Agriculture Minister disputes U.N. data on famine affecting 755,000 people.
• Conflict between Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces worsens hunger crisis.
• Government rejects aid agency requests to override cross-border delivery restrictions.
• Aid agencies report challenges in delivering supplies to famine-risk areas.

KHARTOUM, SUDAN- Sudan's Agriculture Minister, Abubakr al-Bushra, has denied the presence of famine in the country, challenging U.N.-backed data that indicates 755,000 people are experiencing catastrophic hunger. Speaking at a news conference in Port Sudan, the country's de facto capital, al-Bushra dismissed the figures, stating that such numbers are not significant compared to Sudan's population of 50 million.

The country has become the epicenter of the world's worst hunger crisis following the outbreak of war between the Sudanese army, led by Sudan's head of state, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have seized control of vast areas. The conflict has severely impacted food security, with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reporting in late June that half the population is experiencing acute hunger. The IPC identified 14 areas at risk of famine.

Al-Bushra questioned the ability of experts to gather accurate data in RSF-controlled regions and noted that the malnutrition indicators had not been fully assessed. According to the IPC, famine can be declared if at least 20% of a population in a given area suffers from catastrophic hunger, coupled with critical levels of child malnutrition and death from starvation.

Despite these conditions, al-Bushra rejected the possibility of aid agencies or the United Nations Security Council overriding army-imposed restrictions on cross-border aid deliveries. He argued that such actions could compromise national security, opening borders controlled by militia forces. Another government official echoed this sentiment, describing the potential intervention as part of a broader conspiracy against Sudan.

Aid agencies have reported significant difficulties in delivering supplies to regions most at risk of famine, particularly in Darfur. The only government-authorized crossing into the Darfur region, al-Tina, is currently inaccessible due to rains. Meanwhile, the army has blocked access to the Adre crossing into West Darfur, which aid agencies have requested to use. The army claims this crossing has been exploited to smuggle weapons to the RSF.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate, with aid agencies calling for immediate and unrestricted access to all affected areas. However, the government remains steadfast in its refusal to allow external forces to override its control over aid distribution, further complicating efforts to address the escalating hunger crisis.