Without a swift and substantial humanitarian aid response, populations in these five critical regions face extreme hunger, a high risk of famine, and increased mortality in the coming months. This stark warning comes from a joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Cindy McCain, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, “This report serves as a red alert. We clearly understand where hunger is escalating and who is most vulnerable.”

Devastating crises in these areas are further intensified by growing access restrictions for aid delivery and severe funding shortfalls, hindering effective humanitarian efforts.

Gaza and Sudan: Critical Humanitarian Concerns

In Sudan, famine was officially confirmed in 2024. The United Nations projects that this dire situation will persist, driven by ongoing conflict and extensive population displacement, particularly within the Greater Kordofan and Greater Darfur regions. Approximately 24.6 million people are anticipated to face crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity, with 637,000 experiencing catastrophic conditions by May 2025.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, the likelihood of famine intensifies as large-scale military operations severely impede the delivery of crucial humanitarian assistance, including food and other essential supplies. The entire population of the Palestinian enclave, estimated at 2.1 million people, is expected to confront crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity, with 470,000 individuals projected to face catastrophic circumstances by September 2025.

Catastrophic Hunger Levels in Haïti

South Sudan faces a grim outlook, with confirmed famine risks in two of its regions. Around 7.7 million people, representing 57% of the nation’s population, are expected to endure high levels of acute food insecurity between April and July 2025. Of these, an estimated 63,000 individuals are anticipated to reach catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity.

In Haïti, unprecedented levels of gang violence and pervasive insecurity are displacing communities and severely hindering access to vital aid. Over 8,400 internally displaced persons in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince are already grappling with catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity, a situation projected to worsen by June 2025.

Concerns Mount in Mali

Concurrently, in Mali, escalating cereal prices and persistent conflict are eroding the coping mechanisms of the most vulnerable households, especially in conflict-affected zones. Approximately 2,600 people are at risk of catastrophic food insecurity between June and August 2025 if timely aid is not provided.

Beyond these immediate hotspots, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, and Nigeria are also identified as highly concerning areas requiring urgent attention to save lives and livelihoods. Additional critical hotspots include Burkina Faso, Chad, Somalia, and Syria.

Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of the FAO, emphasized, “This report makes it unequivocally clear: hunger today is not a distant threat; it is a daily emergency for millions of people. We must act now, and we must act collectively, to save lives and protect livelihoods.”

Progress Amid Funding Challenges

Despite the worsening food insecurity in many parts of the world, some regions have seen improvements. Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have been removed from the list of hunger hotspots. This progress is attributed to improved climatic conditions for harvests and a reduction in extreme weather events in East and Southern Africa, as well as Niger. Lebanon’s removal from the list follows a decrease in the intensity of military operations.

However, this global deterioration in food security comes at a time when severe funding deficits are forcing reductions in food rations, thereby limiting the scope of vital nutrition and agricultural interventions. “We possess the tools and the expertise to respond, but without funding and without access, we cannot save lives,” emphasized Ms. McCain. “Urgent and sustained investment in food assistance and recovery support is absolutely crucial, as the window to avert another devastating famine is rapidly closing.”