Sudan Humanitarian Crisis: UN Needs $700M as Food Aid Faces March 2026 Cutoff

Nearly half of Sudan's population is starving. On January 16, 2026, the United Nations warned that food aid for the war-torn nation could run out within weeks. Marking more than 1,000 days of civil war, the World Food Programme (WFP) issued a desperate plea for funds to prevent the world's worst hunger crisis from spiraling further out of control.

The $700M Shortfall in Sudan Humanitarian Crisis UN Funding

The WFP announced it needs $700 million to sustain operations through June 2026. Without this injection, food stocks will be depleted by the end of March. The agency has already slashed rations to the "absolute minimum" for survival. Over 21 million people currently face acute hunger as the conflict between the military government and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to devastate the region.

Geopolitics and Funding Fatigue

Aid efforts are hitting a wall due to a sharp drop in funding, largely attributed to President Donald Trump's ideological drive to reduce foreign aid. Competing demands from other global conflicts have also diverted international attention. While mediators like Egypt and Saudi Arabia attempted to revive peace talks in Cairo this week, the government's accusations against the UAE—alleging they fund the RSF—have stalled progress. The UAE denies these claims.