UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: COVID-19 Food Insecurity In West and Central Africa - WFP
/
1:50
/
MP4
/
136.6 MB

Edited News | WFP

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: COVID-19 Food Insecurity In West and Central Africa - WFP

WFP: Tens of millions more people to go hungry in Africa this year because of Covid-19

A near doubling of food-insecure people in West and Central Africa -- up to 57,6 million from 36 million -- is expected by the end of 2020 as a result of measures necessary to contain the spread of Covid-19, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced today.

With border closures and suspension of open-air markets in countries across the region, farmers have been prevented from selling their products, sometimes leading to localized food scarcity and increased prices.

Of the people most at risk for food insecurity, 23 million live in Africa’s most populous nation: Nigeria. A further 10 percent are in Niger, with some 5 percent in Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali and Senegal.

“Price increases of between 15-20 percent were observed in April in the Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria”, WFP spokesperson Elisabeth Byrs said. “In Liberia, the price of fresh cassava, which is the main staple, spiked to 60 percent – five times higher than in the past five years”.

Another aggravating factor is the current lean season, the period between June and August. In agricultural regions of many developing countries, it is the dangerous period between planting and harvesting when job opportunities are scarce and incomes plummet. Food stocks dwindle and poor families regularly skip meals.

“COVID-19 unfolds at the peak of the lean season when hunger and malnutrition are the most severe”, WFP’s spokesperson said. “Even before the pandemic, over 21 million people were estimated to struggle to meet their food needs”.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also a heavy impact on children’s nutrition. Before the outbreak, 4.5 million children were anticipated to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2020 in the six countries of the Sahel region: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. Today, with growing insecurity and COVID-19, that number has jumped to almost 5.4 million children, according to UNICEF and WFP.

“WFP and UNICEF estimate that 11.6 million children will be acutely malnourished in the region in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic, an 18 percent increase on pre-COVID levels”, WFP’s Byrs said. WFP requires an additional US$ 770 million to provide crucial assistance for the next six months in West and Central Africa, she added.

“WFP plans to assist 23 million people in the region with lifesaving food and nutrition support and this is an 8.9 million increase from the initial plan at the start of the year”, Byrs said.

1. Wide shot: exterior, UN Geneva flag alley

2. Wide shot: Podium Press room, UN Geneva

3. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “WFP estimates that the number of food insecure people in the region could more than double to 57.6 million by the end of the year – up from the 36 million before COVID-19”.

4. Wide shot: Press Room

5. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “Price increases of between 15-25 percent were observed in April in the Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria. In Liberia, the price of fresh cassava, which is the main staple, spiked by 60 percent – five times higher than in the past five years”.

6. Medium shot: Journalists in press room

7. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “COVID-19 unfolds at the peak of the lean season when hunger and malnutrition are the most severe. Even before the pandemic, over 21 million people were estimated to struggle to meet their food needs”.

8. Medium shot: journalist

9. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “WFP and UNICEF estimate that 11.6 million children will be acutely malnourished in the region in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic, an 18 percent increase on pre-COVID levels”.

10. Medium shot: journalists

11. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP): “WFP plans to assist 23 million people in the region with lifesaving food and nutrition support and this is an 8.9 million increase from the initial plan at the start of the year”.

12. Close up : hands typing

13. Medium shot: journalist

14. Wide shot: journalist and screen

Similar Stories

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNWOMEN

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025 ENG FRA

Aid agencies echoed wider warnings of growing signs of widespread starvation in Gaza on Tuesday, as UN-partnered international food security experts released their most dire assessment yet of the situation in the wartorn enclave.

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | IOM , UNDP , UNHCR

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025 ENG FRA

Sudan: urgent help needed as more than 1.3 million war-displaced people begin to return home

As conflict rages on across parts of Sudan, pockets of relative safety have emerged in the past four month, spurring more than one million internally displaced Sudanese to make their way home, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A further 320,000 cross-border refugees have come back to Sudan since last year, mainly from Egypt and South Sudan, to assess the current situation before deciding to return to their country for good.

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , WHO

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: SOS messages describe people fainting from hunger; UN health worker detained

Worrying alerts from United Nations staff in Gaza who have been fainting from hunger and exhaustion over the past 48 hours have increased fears for people’s survival in the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR

Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh ENG FRA

Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans ENG FRA

The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.  

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida. 

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives

Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.