According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the war has set back the Sudanese economy by more than 30 years. Extreme poverty is affecting over 60% of the population, equivalent to 52 million people. This means that nearly seven out of ten Sudanese now live on less than four dollars a day.
“Three years after the start of this conflict, we are not just facing a crisis – we are witnessing the systematic erosion of a country’s future,” said Luca Renda, UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan.
A shift towards extreme poverty has been reported, with nearly seven million people falling into extreme poverty in 2023 alone, bringing average incomes back to levels not seen since 1992. The country lost about $6.4 billion in GDP in 2023, and extreme poverty rates are now higher than those in the 1980s.
The conflict between the army and paramilitaries from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 11 million people, leading to hunger and famine in multiple regions. The UN warns that over 21 million people are facing acute food insecurity in Sudan, with two-thirds of the population requiring urgent assistance.
As the food crisis worsens, the World Food Program (WFP) urgently needs over $600 million to sustain its operations for the next six months. Rising fuel prices are contributing to food price hikes, affecting millions of people and hindering humanitarian operations. The situation is dire, prompting international efforts to address the crisis affecting the Sudanese population.
