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The ongoing Middle East crisis and disruption to global supply chains is causing the most expensive Eid al Adha ever, increasing hunger and impeding aid delivery in some of the world’s poorest countries, Islamic Relief says.
In Sudan, the cost of delivering Islamic Relief’s annual qurbani food distributions has increased by over 60%, the price of bread has doubled, and fuel prices have almost tripled over the last three months.
As Muslims around the world prepare to celebrate Eid al Adha next week, Islamic Relief is undertaking qurbani (sacrifice) distributions, providing meat to vulnerable families. For many it is the only meat they will get to eat this month and vital to stave off malnutrition. In 2025 Islamic Relief distributed qurbani to 3.2 million people in 29 countries.
In Sudan, where three years of war has created the world’s biggest hunger crisis, Islamic Relief is distributing canned qurbani meat to displaced families and initially planned to reach more than 92,500 people. However, the rapidly rising costs mean the number of people or quantity of meat per family may now have to be significantly reduced unless funding increases.
Shihab Mohamed Ali, Islamic Relief’s senior programme manager in Sudan, says:
“The war in the Middle East is increasing people’s suffering here in Sudan as it’s cutting off trade and imports. For many vulnerable families this is the most expensive Eid they have experienced and people are worrying about how they will feed their children.
“A few months ago we could buy six pieces of bread with 1,000 Sudanese pounds, but now you can only buy three. Fuel prices have risen by 182%, which automatically increases the price of other commodities. The price of distributing qurbani has rocketed from $5 per can to $8. Local food production is hampered as well, as fertilisers, seeds and agricultural inputs are getting scarce in the markets. The impact is affecting people all over Sudan but it’s worst in regions like Kordofan and Darfur where there is heavy fighting and highest levels of malnutrition.
“The rising costs and funding shortfalls mean we may have to reduce the number of people we can reach or the quantity of meat that each family receives.”
Rising prices and rapidly fluctuating exchange rates mean that vendors Islamic Relief usually works with to secure supplies in Sudan are declining to sign contracts.
New fighting in Darfur and Kordofan is forcing hundreds of thousands of people towards the capital Khartoum and other safe and stable states, with displaced families turning to community kitchens for support. But the kitchens such as those in Khartoum are having to turn people away as they do not have the funds to buy increasingly expensive supplies. Community kitchens which have been a lifeline for people in Sudan are closing at a rate of over 40% in the last six months.
Islamic Relief teams are seeing similar challenges in other countries affected by severe hunger crises. In parts of Somalia, where drought has pushed many families towards starvation, the cost of fuel has more than doubled from about $0.60 per litre to $1.50, increasing the cost of food and hampering aid delivery. In Lebanon, where ongoing attacks have displaced entire communities, a fuel tank of 20 litres has jumped from $19 to $27, pushing up other prices and the cost of essential services.
Islamic Relief continues to call for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in the Middle East and urgent steps to ensure that humanitarian aid and vital supplies of fuel, food, medicine and other essential items are allowed to flow unimpeded.