ROME: UN food agencies warned on Thursday of deadly hunger levels in 16 “hunger hotspots” in coming months, with the Palestinian territories, Sudan and South Sudan, Mali and Haiti of most concern.

Conflict is driving most of the acute food insecurity in all those areas analysed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme.

Extreme weather was a major factor in other regions, while economic inequality and high debt in many developing countries are hurting governments’ capacity to react, according to the joint report covering forecasts for Nov 2024 to May 2025. Humanitarian action was urgently needed to prevent starvation and death in the Palestinian territories, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali, said the report, based on research by experts from the two Rome-based United Nations agencies.

“Without immediate humanitarian efforts and concerted international action to address severe access constraints and advocate for the de-escalation of conflict and insecurity, further starvation and loss of life are likely” in those spots, it found.

Of “very high concern”, are Nigeria, Chad, Yemen, Mozambique, Myanmar, Syria and Lebanon, it said. In all those countries, conflict was either a major driver of hunger, or a contributor.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2024