The Sudanese government has once again conveyed its objection to the United Nations regarding food security assessments conducted without its participation in their preparation.
In early November, UNICEF and the Nutrition Cluster revealed that Sudan had exceeded the World Health Organization’s emergency threshold of 15% in 49% of nutrition surveys conducted across the country in 2026.
On Tuesday, World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Luke Lindberg began a series of meetings with Sudanese government officials, including the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs.
In a press statement, Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation said that Minister Ismat Qurashi had discussed with Lindberg ways to strengthen cooperation and develop interventions to support the agricultural sector and food security in Sudan.
The ministry stated that the agricultural sector was moving towards recovery and that farmers continued to produce despite the challenges posed by the war and climate conditions.
The minister noted that the area cultivated during the current agricultural season had exceeded 10 million hectares, reflecting the sector’s resilience and its ability to maintain production.
He also pointed out that certain areas remained particularly vulnerable, especially those under the control of what he described as rebel militias, where communities face severe humanitarian and production-related challenges.
He characterized the situation in these areas as deliberate starvation and stressed the need to direct humanitarian and development interventions according to the actual needs of local communities and farmers.
Regarding the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), Qurashi reiterated the government’s rejection of any food security assessments concerning Sudan being conducted or published without its participation.
He stressed the importance of respecting Sudan’s sovereignty and ensuring the participation of relevant government institutions in data collection, verification and analysis.
He also affirmed the government’s openness to exploring new mechanisms for food security and nutrition assessments that guarantee professionalism, transparency and data accuracy.
