Global acute hunger reaches record levels

Sharjah24 - AFP: More than 295 million people faced acute hunger last year, marking a new high driven by conflict and various crises, according to a UN-backed report released on Friday. The outlook for 2025 appears "bleak" as humanitarian aid efforts falter.

Continued increase in food insecurity

This marks the sixth consecutive annual increase in those experiencing acute food insecurity, as detailed in the Global Report on Food Crises. A total of 295.3 million individuals endured "high levels" of food insecurity across 53 of the 65 countries analyzed.

Impact of conflict and other factors

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted that catastrophic hunger is driven by conflict in regions such as Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and Mali, pushing households to the brink of starvation. He emphasized, "Hunger and malnutrition are spreading faster than our ability to respond," noting that a third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted.

Drivers of acute hunger

The report identified conflict and violence as the primary causes in 20 countries, affecting 140 million people. Additionally, extreme weather contributed to hunger in 18 countries, while economic shocks impacted 15 nations, collectively affecting 155 million individuals.

Bleak outlook for future aid

The report warns of a grim outlook for 2025, as major donor countries have significantly reduced humanitarian funding. Guterres stated, "This is more than a failure of systems – it is a failure of humanity." He added that "hunger in the 21st century is indefensible," urging for immediate action to address the crisis.