By: TPA News Desk | editor@thepointafricanews.com

The United Nations has issued a stark warning in its joint Hunger Hotspots report, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), stating that 13 regions worldwide are teetering on the edge of severe food crisis, with five areas—Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali—at immediate risk of famine. The report forecasts that without substantial intervention, famine conditions could be seen within the next five months. Aid efforts are being severely hampered due to ongoing conflict and a critical shortage of funding.

In Sudan, the WFP warns of famine repeated from 2024, fueled by conflict, displacement, and crop loss, putting 25 million people at risk. South Sudan faces a similar catastrophe, intensified by floods and civil unrest, leaving some 63,000 individuals already in famine-like conditions. In Gaza, nearly 500,000 of its 2.1 million residents risk slipping into famine by September if the humanitarian blockade continues. In Haiti, violent gang activity and skyrocketing food prices are creating dire conditions, and in Mali, conflict and inflation are pushing vulnerable communities perilously close to starvation.

FAO’s Director‑General, Qu Dongyu, called the report a “red alert”, emphasizing the urgency of increased funding, safe humanitarian access, and support for agricultural production in crisis zones. FAO and WFP officials also highlighted the need to safeguard local farms and livestock to maintain food systems even under pressure. The crisis is part of a broader pattern—nearly 295 million people experienced serious hunger in 2024, with conflict, climate disasters, and economic instability as the main drivers