The Sudanese government has announced its withdrawal from the global Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, raising alarm among humanitarian organizations as famine is expected to spread across the country. This decision, detailed in a letter from the agriculture minister dated December 23, comes just ahead of an IPC report anticipated to highlight the worsening hunger crisis in Sudan.

The IPC, an independent body funded by Western nations and managed by 19 humanitarian organizations, is set to reveal on Tuesday that famine has engulfed five regions in Sudan, with projections indicating it could spread to ten by May 2025. The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army-backed government and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary has exacerbated the food crisis, disrupting humanitarian access and data collection.

The Sudanese government accused the IPC of producing “unreliable reports that undermine Sudan’s sovereignty and dignity.” In its letter, the government claimed the forthcoming IPC report lacks updated data on malnutrition and crop productivity, arguing that the recent rainy season led to a successful harvest. The letter also raised concerns over the IPC’s capacity to gather data from RSF-controlled territories.

Despite these claims, humanitarian experts emphasize the gravity of the situation. A briefing document obtained by Reuters described the current crisis as “an unprecedented deepening and widening of food and nutrition insecurity.”

The decision to withdraw from the IPC has sparked criticism from aid organizations working in Sudan. A leader of a non-governmental organization operating in the region, speaking anonymously, warned that this move could cripple efforts to address the hunger crisis.

“Withdrawal from the IPC system won’t change the reality of hunger on the ground,” the NGO leader said. “But it does deprive the international community of its compass to navigate Sudan’s hunger crisis. Without independent analysis, we’re flying blind into this storm of food insecurity.”

Experts have drawn parallels between Sudan’s current stance and its historical denial of famine. Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University, criticized the government’s decision as a prioritization of pride over citizens’ well-being.

“It’s part of a long history of the government of Sudan denying famine going back more than 40 years,” de Waal said. “Whenever there’s a famine in Sudan, they consider it an affront to their sovereignty.”

The IPC’s challenges in Sudan reflect broader issues in global hunger monitoring. Countries such as Myanmar and Ethiopia have also obstructed or severed ties with the IPC in recent years, citing disagreements over findings that highlighted severe food insecurity.

As Sudan faces one of the world’s largest hunger crises, the suspension of IPC collaboration raises fears that millions of lives could be at greater risk without timely, independent data to guide humanitarian responses.