UN report highlights rising global food insecurity and malnutrition, with famines confirmed in Gaza and Sudan
via Egypt Today1 min read
A new UN report indicates that ongoing conflicts are severely impacting global food security, with acute food insecurity and malnutrition reaching critical levels. The 2026 Global Report on Food Crises states that 266 million people in 47 countries experienced high levels of acute food insecurity in 2025, nearly doubling 2016 figures. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, noted that conflict is the main cause, affecting over half of those facing severe hunger. For the first time, two famines were confirmed in a single year 2025 in the Gaza Strip and parts of Sudan. Ten countries, including Afghanistan, DR Congo, Nigeria, and Yemen, accounted for two-thirds of the global total of people facing high levels of acute hunger. Children are particularly vulnerable, with UNICEF reporting that 35.5 million children suffered from acute malnutrition in 2025, including nearly 10 million with severe wasting. Ricardo Pires, UNICEF spokesperson, warned that severe wasting weakens children's immune systems, making common illnesses fatal, especially in regions like Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan, where conflict, disease, and limited services exacerbate malnutrition.
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