Famine risk rises in 'hunger hotspots', UN warns

ROME, June 17 – Extreme hunger has intensified in 13 “hunger hotspots,” and of these Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Northeast Nigeria and Gaza are at immediate risk of famine without urgent humanitarian intervention, a joint United Nations report warned on Wednesday.

• The report was issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme.

• It warned acute food insecurity could worsen in the hotspots of highest concern between June and November 2026, with conflict the main driver in almost all cases.

• Funding cuts have exacerbated the crisis.

• Support for food and agricultural assistance fell by about 59% between 2022 and 2025 and roughly 266 million people face acute food insecurity.

• “The warnings in this report cannot be ignored,” WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau said.

• The Middle East conflict and an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have further disrupted livelihoods, markets and aid access.

• FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol urged early and scaled-up action to prevent further deterioration.

• In Gaza, conditions have improved since the October 2025 ceasefire but remain fragile, with 1.6 million people acutely food insecure.

• In Sudan, famine risks persist across multiple regions, with the number facing catastrophic hunger projected to rise in 2026.

• Somalia and northeast Nigeria are deteriorating rapidly as years of drought, conflict and displacement increase famine risks in specific areas. REUTERS