Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Poladova

Read more

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the ongoing Iran conflict is pushing millions of vulnerable people closer to acute food insecurity, particularly as global energy and food prices remain high, AzerNEWS reports, citing Associated Press.

According to the agency, its latest analysis shows that the crisis is already worsening hunger conditions in several fragile states. It estimates that an additional 2.5 million people in Somalia, 2.3 million in Afghanistan, and 1.3 million in Sri Lanka are now struggling to meet their basic food needs.

Earlier in March, the WFP projected that up to 45 million more people could fall into food insecurity by the end of June. This would add to the already staggering 318 million people worldwide who are currently classified as food insecure.

Carl Skau, the WFP’s acting executive director, said the agency continues to stand by its forecast, explaining that food insecurity is closely tied to energy prices, especially in poorer countries where households already spend most of their income on food.

He noted that rising fuel costs quickly translate into higher food prices, forcing many families to reduce consumption.

The report also highlighted worsening humanitarian conditions in other global hotspots, including Sudan, Gaza, southern Lebanon, Yemen, and Haiti.

At the same time, the WFP said it has been forced to scale back assistance to millions of people due to funding shortages. It urged international donors to increase support urgently, particularly for Somalia and Afghanistan, warning that failure to act could lead to severe humanitarian consequences.

Image: Caitlin Kelly / AP