31 August 2017
Hunger Crises Update: UN Security Council Highlights Conflict as Driver of Hunger as Relief Action Remains Underfunded
UN Photo/Gill Fickling
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Conflict and drought have pushed 20 million people to the brink of famine in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and several other countries.

The UN Security Council has recognized the link between conflict and hunger, as international organizations highlight the vulnerability of populations affected by conflict, especially internally displaced people and refugees.

WFP is coordinating a global campaign to raise US$ 2.8 billion to fund humanitarian assistance needed to avert famine.

28 August 2017: The hunger crises affecting countries in parts of Africa, Asia and the Near East continue to widen in scope. Relief action to prevent further famine remains limited as international organizations face significant funding constraints. Recent statements by international organizations and country updates highlight conflict as a main driver of the current crises. Refugees and displaced populations are most vulnerable, as host countries struggle to provide food and other basic needs.

UN Security Council Recognizes Link Between Conflict and Hunger as International Organizations Struggle to Raise Funds

According to a statement by the World Food Programme (WFP), 20 million people continue to be at risk of dying from hunger in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and the northeast of Nigeria, including 1.4 million children. The organization reports that, thanks to the efforts of international community, the famine declared in parts of South Sudan in February 2017 could be overcome; however the situation remains critical as several of the affected countries are entering the “lean” season before the next harvest when food stocks are at their lowest. WFP is therefore coordinating the worldwide “#FightingFamine” Campaign, which seeks to raise US$2.8 billion needed to support 20 million people threatened by hunger. To date, approximately 46% of the total have been raised. [WFP Press Release][UN News Release][#FightingFamine Website]

“Ongoing conflicts and violence have devastating humanitarian consequences and hinder an effective humanitarian response in the short, medium and long term and are therefore a major cause of famine”

In a Presidential Statement, the UN Security Council reiterated its call on all parties to allow the safe, timely and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance for affected populations, including the protection of food relief convoys and medical facilities. The Council also recognized the direct link between conflict and famine emphasizing “with deep concern that ongoing conflicts and violence have devastating humanitarian consequences and hinder an effective humanitarian response in the short, medium and long term and are therefore a major cause of famine.” The statement further requests the UN Secretary-General to provide an oral briefing in October 2017 on “country-specific impediments to an effective response to the risk of famine in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria, and make specific recommendations on how to address these impediments, in order to enable a more robust short- and long-term response in the four countries.” The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) welcomed the Council’s recognition of conflict as major cause of famine stressing its commitment to work with the UN and member countries to address conflict-related food security. In a press release, FAO highlighted its relevant work including a recent report on the link between peace and food security and the ‘Global Report of Food Crises 2017.’ [UN News Release. 9 August 2017][UN Security Council Press Release and Presidential Statement][FAO News Release][Peace and Food Security: Investing in Resilience to Sustain Rural Livelihoods amid Conflict][Global Report on Food Crises]

Some relief will be provided by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). The Fund released US$45 million for urgent humanitarian assistance in the “neglected and underfunded crises” in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad and Sudan. The funds will focus on addressing the most urgent needs of people displaced or otherwise affected by conflict in these countries. The project will enable the provision of critical health care, access to clean water and sanitation and other humanitarian aid. [UN News Release][UNOCHA Press Release]

Country Updates: Yemen Receives Aid to Fight Cholera Epidemic and Hunger as Efforts in all Affected Countries Remain Underfunded

Yemen continues to suffer from a “deadly combination” of conflict, cholera and hunger, which has pushed 70% of the country’s population to the brink of famine with 400.000 affected by cholera and 1.900 deaths recorded so far. To address the sources of the cholera epidemic, the World Bank announced an emergency grant of US$200 million. The funding will support the training of 7.500 health workers, water chlorination, rehabilitation of wastewater treatment plants, mass communication and social mobilization campaigns, and a large-scale cholera vaccine campaign. The project aims to provide essential health and nutrition services to 13 million Yemenis and safe water and sanitation services to 4.5 million. At the same time, WFP announced that the UK’s Department for International Development (DIFID) is providing £20million to provide emergency food assistance to 2 million people. The grant will support WFP’s efforts to provide food assistance to seven million people under imminent threat of famine. The contribution is part of the UK’s increased funding for Yemen in 2016-2018 of £139 million. [UN Press Release][World Bank Press Release][WFP News Release]

In the northeastern region of Nigeria, 8.5 million people need humanitarian assistance. More than 2 million are in acute need of food support after fleeing violence caused by Boko Haram, more than half of which are children. In early August, CERF released US$10.5 million to fund 15 projects that will provide food, safe water emergency shelter and health services to the most vulnerable populations in the country. In mid-August, WFP reported that it has begun transporting food assistance to the displaced populations using food donated by the government of Nigeria. With the support of the US and other donors, WFP aims to provide food assistance to 1.36 million people in Nigeria during the current lean season. [UN News Release. 1 August 2017][UN News Release. 10 August][WFP Press Release]

Rising violence and displacement are also pushing more people into hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A recent update of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reports that between June 2016 and June 2017 the number of people facing acute hunger has increased by 30% from 5.9 million to 7.7 million. ‘Acute hunger’ includes the IPC Phase levels of ’emergency’ and ‘crisis’ which precede the state of famine. The report states that one in ten persons now suffers from acute hunger and that the possibility of famine has increased substantially. The main driver of hunger is escalating and prolonged conflict in the Kasaï and Tanganyika regions which has displaced more than 1.4 million people. The situation is aggravated by the spread of diseases including army worm, cholera and measles. WFP and World Vision have launched emergency response operations to provide food assistance to 42.000 food insecure people. In its press release, WFP states that additional US$17.3 million are urgently required for scaling up operations to reach 225.000 of the most vulnerable people between September and December 2017. [FAO News Release][WFP News Release. 14 August (IPC Release)][WFP Press Release. 16 August (Food Assistance)][IPC Update: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Current Acute Food Insecurity Overview June 2017 – December 2017]

Refugees fleeing to other countries are also at risk of suffering from hunger as host countries are often overwhelmed by the challenge to provide adequate nutrition to hundreds of thousands people in camps. Sudan is hosting more than 400,000 refugees that fled the conflict in South Sudan. During a visit to the country, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi called for international solidarity and aid to support the Sudanese people in their efforts to attend to the needs of the refugees. Regarding the conflict in South Sudan, which is generating the world’s fastest growing incident of forced displacement, he urged “parties to the conflict, regional states and the international community need to put an end to this tragedy.” [UN News Release][UNHCR Press Release]

Uganda is hosting more than one million refugees from South Sudan. While refugees are currently not suffering from acute hunger, measures are needed to establish sustainable food supply for refugee camps, said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva during a visit. While he described Uganda’s refugee model as “an example to the world,” he urged mobilization of funds to support efforts to enable refugees to produce their own food through farming and livestock keeping. [FAO Press Release]

In Tanzania, WFP support to refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had to be cut due to a funding shortfall. The organization reports that distributions to 320,000 people had to be cut to 62% of the required 2100 calories per day. To avoid further decline and prolonged negative impacts, would require additional US$23.6 million in funding, according to WFP’s press release. [WFP Press Release][UN News Release]

In Ethiopia, prolonged drought has driven 8.5 million people, mostly small-scale livestock herders, towards the brink of hunger. FAO warns that herders who have lost their animals during the drought induced by the El Niño phenomenon will require support to prevent further livestock losses due to exhausted pastures and water sources and animal diseases. FAO states that US$20 million are required between August and December 2017 to support Ethiopian herders and farmers and prevent a worsening of the hunger situation. [FAO Press Release][FAO Drought Response Plan and Priorities in 2017]

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