Sudan Fuel Shortage Deepens Hunger Risk

Fuel shortages in Khartoum are not only a transport problem. Petrol and diesel power the trucks carrying food and medicine, as well as pumps that supply farms with water. When stations close, both emergency relief and food production can slow or stop.

The article reports that fuel stations in Sudan’s capital were closing for lack of petrol and diesel in mid-September 2026. Aid convoys must cross a war zone divided between the army and the RSF, so any disruption makes deliveries slower, riskier, and more expensive.

The shortage comes as the IPC warns that famine risk is growing in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan. Nearly 19.5 million people faced acute food insecurity earlier this year, while less than half of the humanitarian appeal was funded as of 8 October. No report confirms the shortage has ended.

Sudan’s hunger crisis affects nearly 19.5 million people, or more than 40% of the country’s population. Acute food insecurity means people do not have reliable access to enough food and may need urgent assistance to survive or protect their livelihoods.

The IPC counted these figures from February to May. Within that total, 135,000 people were in Phase 5, the highest level in the IPC system. The article defines this level as starvation and death from hunger or disease.

These numbers show both the breadth and depth of the crisis. Millions need food assistance, while a smaller but still significant group faces the most extreme conditions. The IPC warned on 12 October 2026 that famine risk was growing in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan. Fuel shortages and underfunded aid could make reaching vulnerable communities harder.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, is a UN-backed system for rating the severity of food insecurity. It uses five phases to show how serious hunger is, from stressed conditions to the most extreme level.

The article identifies Phase 5 as the worst rating. It means people are facing starvation and may die from hunger or disease. The IPC’s assessment therefore provides more than a general warning: it identifies the intensity of hunger and the scale of urgent need.

The IPC warned on 12 October 2026 that famine risk was growing in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan. Earlier, from February to May, it counted nearly 19.5 million people in acute food insecurity, including 135,000 in Phase 5. The system helps humanitarian groups and donors understand where food, medical support, and other assistance are most urgently needed.

Fuel connects the two systems that protect people from famine: emergency aid and food production. Diesel powers trucks carrying food and medicine, while pumps use fuel to move water onto farmland. A shortage can therefore reduce both the supply of relief and the ability to grow crops.

For example, an aid convoy may have food ready but lack enough diesel to travel through Sudan’s war zone. A farmer may also have land but be unable to run irrigation pumps. The same shortage affects transport, water, and the cost of reaching communities.

The timing is especially dangerous. The IPC said a severe drought linked to El Niño covers more than half of Sudan, and 64% of cropland in North Darfur shows poor plant growth. With famine risk growing and less than half the humanitarian appeal funded, fuel shortages could leave more people without food or aid.

Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan are especially vulnerable because they combine severe hunger with difficult conditions for producing and delivering food. The IPC named both western and south-central regions as areas where famine risk is growing.

A severe drought linked to El Niño now covers more than half of Sudan. In North Darfur, 64% of cropland shows poor plant growth, reducing the area’s food prospects. At the same time, the army and the RSF are fighting across the country, forcing aid to cross a war zone.

Access is also becoming more dangerous and underfunded. Two UN World Food Programme trucks came under fire on 2 and 3 October, and at least one person died. As of 8 October, less than half of Sudan’s humanitarian appeal was funded. These pressures make it harder to deliver food before conditions worsen.

When fuel is scarce, aid organizations may try to combine shipments, shorten routes, buy food locally, or use transport that needs less fuel. They may also prioritize the most vulnerable communities and coordinate convoys more tightly. These are general humanitarian options, not alternatives specifically confirmed in the article.

Each option has limits. Local purchases may not be possible where crops are failing or markets are cut off. Shorter routes may not reach remote communities. Non-fuel transport usually carries less and moves more slowly than trucks. Consolidating loads can also delay deliveries while agencies wait for enough supplies.

Sudan’s war makes every workaround harder. Aid must cross areas controlled or contested by the army and the RSF, and two WFP trucks came under fire in early October. The article also reports that less than half of the humanitarian appeal was funded, limiting the ability to pay for costly alternatives.

Imported fuel is usually priced in a foreign currency. When Sudan’s currency weakens, buyers need more local currency to purchase the same shipment. The article says the war has sharply weakened Sudan’s currency, making imported fuel costly.

That higher fuel price spreads through the food system. Trucks spend more to carry food and medicine, and farms spend more to run diesel water pumps. Aid agencies may need larger budgets for the same delivery routes, while families may face higher transport costs and receive less value from money sent to them.

The result can deepen hunger even when food exists elsewhere. More expensive transport reduces how far aid and supplies can travel, especially across an active war zone. The article says funders may need to pay more for the same reach or accept that fewer people are fed. It does not provide a confirmed November fuel price.