Acute hunger is set to worsen across 13 global hotspots in the coming months, with millions of people at risk of famine as conflict, climate shocks and severe funding shortages converge, according to a new warning from UN food agencies.

In a joint report, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said that conditions are expected to deteriorate between June and November 2026, with approximately 266 million people already facing high levels of acute food insecurity worldwide.

Calling for urgent international action, WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau said: “The warnings in this report cannot be ignored. Without action now, millions more are expected to face worsening levels of hunger in the months ahead, pushing some closer to famine.”

Gaza among worst-affected regions

The report identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and the Gaza Strip as the most critical hunger hotspots, with additional countries including Nigeria, Somalia, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Haiti, Mali, Lebanon and Madagascar also facing worsening food insecurity.

According to the UN agencies, conflict and violence remain the primary drivers of hunger in nearly all affected regions, compounded by economic instability, climate-related shocks such as El Niño, and significant reductions in humanitarian funding.

The agencies also warned that spillover effects from ongoing regional conflicts, alongside outbreaks such as Ebola in parts of eastern Congo, are further disrupting food systems, markets and aid delivery networks.

Sharp decline in humanitarian funding

The report highlights a severe global funding gap, noting that support for food assistance programs has fallen by approximately 59% since 2022, even as humanitarian needs continue to rise sharply.

Despite this, the World Food Programme welcomed a recent $800 million pledge from the United States, which it said will help provide assistance to more than 38 million people across 37 countries. However, WFP stressed that its overall 2026 appeal of over $10 billion remains significantly underfunded.

Gaza food insecurity remains critical

On Gaza, the report notes some improvement since a ceasefire in October 2025, but warns that conditions remain extremely fragile. Earlier in the year, around 1.6 million people—roughly 77% of the population assessed—were classified as acutely food insecure, including more than half a million people in emergency-level hunger conditions and others facing catastrophic deprivation.

Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly cautioned that ongoing restrictions, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted supply chains continue to severely limit access to food, clean water, and medical aid in the enclave.

Other regions at risk of famine

The UN report also highlights specific areas at imminent risk of famine, including Nigeria’s Borno state, Somalia’s Burhakaba district, South Sudan’s Jonglei and Upper Nile states, and parts of Sudan such as North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan.

Yemen was described as remaining one of the world’s most severe food crises, hosting large populations already in emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger.

Call for urgent global response

Both FAO and WFP urged governments and international donors to rapidly scale up funding, strengthen humanitarian access, and invest in protecting livelihoods to prevent further deterioration.

Without immediate and coordinated intervention, the agencies warned, millions more people could be pushed into famine-level conditions in the coming months, deepening what is already one of the most severe global hunger crises in recent decades. (ILKHA)