The UN has named 13 places in the world that are at risk of famine in the coming months
The United Nations has identified 13 places in the world that are at risk of famine and a deepening food crisis in the coming months. About this it is said in a report by the World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The top five regions at highest risk include Sudan, South Sudan, Gaza, Mali and Haiti. Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar and Nigeria are at slightly lower, but still high, risk. Separately, it is noted that the situation in Burkina Faso, Chad, Somalia and Syria needs close monitoring. The UN predicts that fighting in Sudan, floods in South Sudan and the worsening economic situation in both countries will only exacerbate the food crisis in the near future.
“More than a million people have fled Sudan to South Sudan since the start of the armed conflict, which has led to the displacement of 12.4 million people and put more than half of the country’s population at risk of starvation. But hunger haunts them: in South Sudan, more than 57% of the population is already facing acute food insecurity.”, — the UN notes.
The Gaza Strip, Mali and Haiti were added to the list of the most dangerous regions. In another seven countries, food security is forecast to deteriorate significantly over the next five months. The UN emphasizes that without immediate humanitarian aid, the inhabitants of these regions will be on the brink of starvation.
“This report demonstrates that hunger is not a future threat, but a daily reality for millions. We must act now and together to save lives and ensure people’s livelihoods.” FAO Director General Qu Dongyu said.
Armed conflicts are called the main cause of hunger in the UN, but the situation is additionally complicated by climatic and economic factors.
“There is already a famine in Sudan. There is also the risk of famine in Gaza. And in both cases, the reason is conflicts and the impossibility of humanitarian access.” — explained Jean-Martin Bowser, FAO Director of Food Security Analysis.
According to the UN, all 2.1 million residents of the Gaza Strip are in a state of acute food shortage, and about 500,000 people may be on the brink of disaster by September.
WFP and FAO are calling on the international community to “immediately increase funding for food-related humanitarian assistance” and “to help end armed conflicts”. “We need urgent and sustainable investment in food aid. The window of opportunity to prevent another wave of hunger is closing fast,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.
