A newly confirmed famine at one of the sprawling camps for war-displaced people in Sudan’s Darfur region is rapidly escalating, with U.S. officials warning that it could surpass the world’s last major famine 13 years ago. The U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.N. World Food Program, and other humanitarian agencies are urgently calling for a cease-fire and aid access across Sudan.
The Famine Review Committee formally confirmed the starvation in at least one of the three giant makeshift camps, housing up to 600,000 people displaced by Sudan's ongoing war, had escalated into a full-blown famine. This marks only the third famine declaration in the committee's 20-year history.
The conflict in Sudan erupted in April 2023, pitting two rival generals with international backing against each other. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), stemming from the Janjaweed militias infamous for their atrocities in Darfur in 2003, have been accused of blocking food and aid to civilians in the Zamzam camp.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has largely gone unnoticed by the world, with 11 million people displaced and acute hunger spreading countrywide. Aid workers have faced challenges in delivering relief to those trapped in the camps due to the siege imposed by the RSF.
World Food Program director Cindy McCain has called for international intervention to achieve a cease-fire, emphasizing that it is crucial to prevent further destabilization of the region. USAID Director Samantha Power highlighted that the famine is entirely man-made, with both sides using starvation as a weapon of war.
The United States, a major source of aid for Sudan, has invited the warring factions for cease-fire talks in Switzerland in August. While the RSF leader has agreed to attend, the Sudanese government has expressed reservations, citing the need to implement previous agreements.
International experts have confirmed the existence of the famine based on set criteria, with formal declarations typically made by countries or the United Nations. The political complexities surrounding such declarations often delay urgent responses to humanitarian crises.
