The UN warns of an imminent risk of famine in several areas of the world. Millions of people could face disaster if humanitarian aid is delayed.
Extreme hunger has intensified worldwide in at least 13 “hotspots”, with Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, northeastern Nigeria and the Gaza Strip at imminent risk of famine without immediate humanitarian intervention. In Wednesday’s report, agencies of the United Nations (UN) drew attention to this, TASR reports according to Reuters.
The report was produced jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP). The document warns that acute food insecurity could worsen in the most vulnerable areas between June and November 2026, with conflict as the main trigger in almost all cases.
Deterioration of aid support
In addition, the crisis was exacerbated by cuts in funding. Food and agricultural aid support has fallen by around 59 percent between 2022 and 2025, and around 266 million people worldwide are now facing acute food insecurity.
“The warnings in this report cannot be ignored,” said WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau.
Regional crises exacerbate hunger
The conflict in the Middle East and the Ebola epidemic in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have further disrupted people’s livelihoods, markets and access to aid. FAO Deputy Director General Beth Bechdolová therefore called for timely and vigorous measures to prevent further deterioration of the situation in this area.
Conditions in the Gaza Strip have improved since the October 2025 ceasefire, but remain fragile, and 1.6 million people there continue to suffer from acute food insecurity. Sudan remains at risk of famine in several regions, with the number of people facing catastrophic hunger expected to rise further in 2026. Somalia and northeastern Nigeria are also rapidly falling into crisis, as years of drought, conflict and displacement increase the risk of famine in specific areas, Reuters reports.
