The UN warns of the threat of famine in 23 hotspots

In May of this year, 16 different organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Program, said that by 2020, around 155 million people would starve worldwide. This was an increase of about 20 million compared to the previous year. The statement at the time stated that 133,000 people needed food urgently to prevent mass deaths.

The World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization have now released the latest report on 23 hotspots around the world, where famine could rise sharply over the next three months, creating a catastrophic situation. If humanitarian aid is not delivered as a matter of urgency, the most difficult situation could arise in Ethiopia and its conflict-ridden Tigris region, where the number of people starving to death could rise to 401,000.

This will be the highest rate of starvation in Somalia since 2011.

Madagascar is also still in an unenviable situation, experiencing the worst drought in 40 years, insect attacks on crops and soaring food prices. By the end of the year, about 28,000 people in Madagascar will face acute food shortages.

Since the last report, six more have joined the list of countries at particular risk: Chad, Colombia, North Korea, Myanmar, Kenya and Nicaragua. UN agencies also call attention to developments in Afghanistan, where the withdrawal of US and NATO forces has already led to an increase in violence, facilitating the active movement of people within the country and also jeopardizing the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance.

Both organizations point out that the number of people suffering from hunger is not only increasing in number. The consequences are becoming more severe, as the situation is exacerbated by various armed conflicts and the Covid-19 pandemic, which is accompanied by various restrictions on movement, declining purchasing power and rising prices.