Sudan hunger crisis worsens as Guterres warns war is destroying food systems

António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, has expressed concern over the worsening food crisis in Sudan, attributing it to the ongoing war. At a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Guterres highlighted how armed conflict is destroying the very systems people rely on for sustenance. He cited the targeting of markets and disruptions in farming, transportation, and the flow of essential goods due to the conflict.

Guterres pointed out that 2025 saw the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II and the highest levels of global acute hunger on record, with at least 266 million people facing severe food insecurity. This year also marked the first time in a century that two famines were confirmed simultaneously, one in Sudan and Gaza.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has displaced millions and severely disrupted food production, trade, and humanitarian operations. A joint report by several humanitarian organizations revealed that the war has transformed the journey of food from farms to markets into a perilous process, with some families surviving on one meal a day or less in certain regions.

The UN Development Programme's analysis showed that almost 90% of Sudanese farmers reported smaller harvests by 2025, with yields dropping by up to 71% in severely affected areas. Guterres stressed the need to protect farms, water systems, markets, storage facilities, ports, and supply routes to ensure farmers can access their fields and crops remain in circulation.

He also warned against the impact of external conflicts on food availability within Sudan, emphasizing that restrictions and attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have further strained food supply chains. The World Food Programme's Acting Executive Director, Carl Skau, likened the situation to a child in Sudan being deprived of one meal a day due to such disruptions.

Guterres implored the Security Council to fully implement Resolution 2417, which links armed conflict, food insecurity, and famine. He called on parties to conflicts to stop depriving civilians of food, crops, livestock, and drinking water and to allow humanitarian workers to reach those in need safely. Guterres urged the Security Council not to wait for famine to be formally declared before acting, emphasizing that ending conflicts is the best way to prevent hunger.