The United Nations warns of rising food insecurity in 23 countries, including Syria
The United Nations has warned of high levels of acute food insecurity in 23 hunger-hit countries, including Syria, as a result of the crisis and economic shocks resulting from the Corona virus.
“Acute food insecurity is likely to worsen further,” the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Program said in a new report on “hunger hotspots” between August and November.
The report pointed out that Syria is one of several countries facing obstacles that prevent the delivery of aid to those in need.
The report noted that the difficulty of humanitarian access is another serious factor impeding efforts to curb food crises and prevent starvation, death and the complete collapse of livelihoods.
WFP Executive Director David Beasley warned that families who depend on humanitarian aid are “holding a thread” for survival, and when agencies cannot reach them “that thread is cut, and the consequences are catastrophic.”
Earlier, the World Food Program announced that at least 12.4 million people in Syria, equivalent to 60% of the population, suffer from food insecurity, and this number has increased by 4.5 million people within one year.
The two Rome-based agencies called for urgent humanitarian action to save lives in 23 hot countries, stressing that providing a helping hand is particularly critical in five places to prevent the risks of starvation.
Source: agencies
