The United Nations, UN, has warned that tens of millions of people could be pushed into severe hunger if the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran continues, saying it fears serious global food crisis.
The warning was issued by the World Food Programme (WFP), which said an additional 45 million people could face acute hunger if the conflict persists through June due to rising food prices and disruptions to humanitarian supply routes.
WFP Deputy Executive Director, Carl Skau, said the war has already triggered sharp increases in shipping costs and delayed life-saving aid deliveries to some of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies.
“If the Middle East conflict continues through June, an additional 45 million people could be pushed into acute hunger by price rises,” Skau said, noting that about 319 million people are already experiencing acute food insecurity worldwide which is the highest level ever recorded.
According to the agency, attacks that began on February 28 have disrupted key aid corridors, forcing relief shipments to be rerouted and increasing transportation costs by about 18 percent. The situation has been compounded by funding shortfalls, as many donor countries divert resources toward defence spending.
The UN warned that without urgent funding and improved access for aid deliveries, global hunger levels could rise to unprecedented levels in the coming months.
