18 new 'Hunger Hotspots' added to UN list

By Jessica Jeyamaridas

Gaza, Haiti, South Sudan and Mali are among the 'Hunger Hotspots' at greatest risk of food insecurity.

That's according to a new study conducted by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP). 

The report says that the food crisis is expected to worsen in the coming months in 18 regions already at high risk of food insecurity. Among them there are Gaza, Haiti, South Sudan, Somalia and Mali.

Organized violence and conflict remain the main drivers of acute hunger, with key trends indicating that levels of conflict and violence against civilians will continue to increase.

The report adds that “extreme weather conditions such as tropical storms, floods and droughts remain critical factors in some regions.”

Stop crises in their tracks

“The daunting prospects highlighted in this report should serve as a wake-up call to all of us," wrote FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in a press release announcing the report.

"We need to spearhead the shift from responding to crises after they occur to more proactive anticipatory approaches," he continued. "Prevention and resilience building to help vulnerable communities cope with upcoming shocks. Acting ahead of crises can save lives.” 

“Once a famine is declared, it is too late, many people will have already starved to death.  We must act now to stop these hotspots from igniting a firestorm of hunger,” added Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director.

An estimated 14.2 million people in Afghanistan face acute food insecurity, FAO says

Which countries are most at risk?

According to the report, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan and the Sudan remain at the highest alert level and require the most urgent attention. Haiti was added to the list due to escalating episodes of violence and threats to food security.

Conflict is the primary driver of hunger in all these areas.

Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Syria and Yemen are considered hotspots of very high concern, with a large number of people facing critical acute food insecurity, expected to further intensify life-threatening conditions in the coming months. 

Since the previous edition of the Hunger Hotspots report, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zambia have joined Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Somalia and Zimbabwe in the list of danger zones, where acute food insecurity is likely to deteriorate further in the coming months.