UK-led joint ministerial statement warns of acute famine risk in Sudan as conflict drives large-scale food insecurity

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 23 October 2026 published a joint ministerial statement, signed with 31 international partners, warning that Sudan faces an "alarming deterioration" in food security and a significant risk of famine in the coming months.

What the statement says

The statement, released as a press notice by the UK Government, reports that an estimated 19.5 million people in Sudan, roughly 41% of the country’s population, are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, and that around 5 million people are already at emergency levels. It notes a projected increase in the number of children with severe acute malnutrition beyond previously estimated levels and warns that the number of food-insecure areas could double without rapid action.

Drivers and immediate concerns

The ministers who signed the statement identify conflict as the principal driver of the worsening crisis. According to the press release, ongoing fighting has displaced millions, damaged infrastructure, disrupted health services and food production, and fractured supply chains and markets. Those combined impacts have sharply reduced households’ ability to access sufficient, nutritious food.

Child nutrition and health

The statement highlights alarming child nutrition projections: without urgent and sustained humanitarian intervention, the number of children suffering severe acute malnutrition could exceed the previously projected 825,000. The ministers emphasize that children and other vulnerable groups are at particular risk and that nutrition interventions must be scaled rapidly alongside lifesaving food assistance.

Why this matters

Famine is not simply a food shortage; it denotes catastrophic levels of hunger and malnutrition together with heightened mortality. A rapid escalation to famine conditions would trigger mass displacement, increase mortality, particularly among children under five and other vulnerable groups, and create long-term health and developmental harms. The joint statement’s purpose is to draw immediate international attention and spur donor governments, humanitarian organizations and logistics partners to scale assistance and access.

What the ministers are calling for

• Urgent scaled humanitarian funding to expand food, nutrition and health services;
• unimpeded humanitarian access to affected areas, including safe corridors to deliver aid;
• support to restore and safeguard food systems and markets where possible; and
• international coordination to anticipate and respond to worsening needs.

Context and likely next steps

The UK press release frames the joint ministerial statement as an early, time-sensitive alarm intended to catalyse further international action and resources. In practice, next steps will include donor deliberations over emergency funding, operational scaling by UN agencies and NGOs, and diplomatic pressure to protect humanitarian access. The statement also strengthens a public political imperative for partner governments to coordinate at foreign ministries and development agencies.

Operational constraints

Delivering assistance in active conflict settings faces predictable obstacles: insecurity that endangers aid workers, damaged or blocked transport routes, and administrative or access restrictions. The ministers’ statement therefore pairs appeals for funding with explicit calls to ensure safe passage and security for humanitarian operations.

Confirmed source

This article is based on the joint ministerial press release published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 23 October 2026. Key figures and projections cited in this report, including the 19.5 million people affected and the 825,000 projected children with severe acute malnutrition, are drawn directly from that statement.

Editors’ note: This report focuses on the latest ministerial statement and confirmed figures provided in the official press release. Humanitarian situations in conflict-affected settings are fluid; operational responses and funding commitments are expected to develop over the coming days and will be monitored for updates.