Tens of millions more will face acute hunger if Middle East war drags on: UN
GENEVA: An extra 45 million people could face acute hunger if the Middle East war continued through June, swelling the number worldwide to a 'terrible' high, the United Nations warned on Tuesday.
The war, now in its third week, has killed hundreds, and has seen Iran launch retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf states, as well as a front opening in Lebanon, with Israel battling Hezbollah.
"If the Middle East conflict continues through June, an additional 45 million people could be pushed into acute hunger by price rises," Carl Skau, the deputy executive director of the UN's World Food Programme, told a press conference in Geneva.
"This would take global hunger levels to an all-time record, and it's a terrible, terrible prospect," he said, with 319 million people — already a historic high — currently acutely food insecure.
"Really, it is again taking this to a whole other level."
Skau said the WFP was already facing a 'perfect storm' before the war erupted on February 28.
"Hunger has never been as severe as it is now," he said, driven by extreme weather events, conflict and pockets of famine being declared.
"At the same time, resources fell sharply from 2023 and 2024 levels."
Having had to cut staff and streamline operations, the WFP is 'basically stretched to the limit', Skau said.
He said the Middle East war was making the WFP's operations 'much, much more expensive'.
Skau said the agency was trying to deal with supply-chain disruptions, but its operating costs had shot up, notably because of soaring fuel prices and longer routes.
By RSS/AFP
