Sudan denies famine, accuses foreign actors of politicizing crisis

Sudan has asserted that the country's food situation is stable, with strategic reserves and ongoing agricultural operations expected to meet national needs and provide significant stability for local communities across Sudan, refuting claims of famine.

In a statement posted on X, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government appreciates humanitarian support from donors and international organizations, but stressed that it has continued to provide food and medicine even under the harshest conditions of war and aggression. The ministry said Sudan has not experienced famine, despite the looting of resources, destruction of infrastructure, and displacement of citizens from agricultural areas.

According to the statement, "The Sudanese government regrets attempts by some countries and organizations to politically exploit the humanitarian situation in parts of Sudan, using these circumstances to advance their own political agendas and impose conditions for a settlement under the guise of a humanitarian truce. This, the statement said, is aimed at saving the rebel militia from ongoing defeats and giving it a new opportunity to rearm and regroup, which would encourage further atrocities, massacres, and acts of genocide, as previously seen in El Fasher and El Geneina."

The ministry added that the political agenda of some Western countries, which use the humanitarian situation as a tool for negotiation, seeks to shield the rebel militia from further losses and setbacks, and to push for negotiations while the group occupies parts of the country and civilian infrastructure, threatening Sudan's security and unity. This, the ministry said, is a clear violation of the Jeddah Declaration, which Sudan's government accepted as the basis for negotiations and ending the conflict.

The Sudanese government reaffirmed its commitment to cooperate with relevant agencies and organizations on humanitarian issues, but rejected the politicization of the crisis to serve known agendas supported by certain countries. The government said it will continue to fulfill its constitutional duty to protect civilians and assist those in need, in line with the interests of its people, the protection of its territory, national security, unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

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Dozens of countries, including the United States and major European powers, have said Sudan is facing a worrying deterioration in food security and called on both parties to the conflict to "remove all obstacles to humanitarian aid."

In a joint statement, the countries said that with the risk of famine looming, they urge the international community to increase funding and call on financial institutions to adapt their programs to address the food security situation.

According to Reuters, the joint statement published by the US State Department said, "Sudan is experiencing a worrying decline in food security. The risk of famine in the coming months, as warned by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, requires urgent action." The statement added, "Both parties to the conflict bear primary responsibility for alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people."