The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Famine risk spikes amid conflict, COVID-19 and funding gaps: WFP
The impact of conflicts old and new, climate shocks and COVID-19 in addition to a lack of funding have left millions more people on the verge of famine than six months ago, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
“The United Nations World Food Programme, WFP, is worried that millions of refugees are looking to a future of uncertainty and hunger as the impact of the pandemic on aid budgets plays out in funding shortages for emergency operations,” said spokesperson Tomson Phiri.
“The number of people teetering on the brink of famine has risen from 34 million projected at the beginning of the year, to 41 million projected as of June. Without immediate emergency food assistance, they too face starvation, as the slightest shock will push them over the cliff into famine conditions.”
According to the latest IPC food insecurity assessments - which humanitarians use to assess needs on a scale of one to five – the 41 million “are people who are in IPC phase 4 – emergency”, the WFP spokesperson explained.
New refugee influxes linked to conflict and drought have increased needs for people in “IPC phase 5 – catastrophe” and “that number stands at 584,000 people”, Mr. Phiri continued. “These are people in in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, Madagascar, particularly the southern part; South Sudan, especially as we are now at the height of the lean season in that country, and Yemen.”
Launching the WFP Global Operational Response Plan, the UN agency highlighted operations in no less than eight countries and regions where it has had to make “brutal choices” because of significant funding shortfalls.
In practice, this has meant reduced rations “across east and southern Africa, as well as the Middle East…among some of the world’s most vulnerable people who rely on WFP to survive”, said Mr. Phiri.
Highlighting the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the most vulnerable recipients of humanitarian aid, the WFP spokesperson explained that “more and more people (were) in need because of the rising food crisis in the region. We have a lot of people unable to work, mainly because of the fallout from COVID-19. So, the situation in west Africa, or in west African countries – west and central Africa, indeed - countries like Chad, Niger and Burkina, Mauritania; these are all countries of concern, including Sierra Leone as well.”
Appealing for $5 billion this year “to avoid famine” and meet the urgent needs of those most at risk, Mr. Phiri noted that ration cuts differed from country to country. “In some cases it’s 40 per cent, in some cases it’s 25 per cent, in some cases it’s 60 per cent…The fact is, the assistance we provide is a basic need, the assistance we provide is just enough to help people get by.”
The world is no longer moving towards Zero Hunger, according to WFP, which said in a statement that “progress has stalled, reversed, and today, more than 270 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure or at high risk in 2021”.
ends
STORY: 41 Million Face Famine - WFP
TRT: 3 mins 29s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 18 June 2020 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a sunny day.
- Medium-wide shot, podium with speakers and TV screen for outside speakers, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): “The United Nations World Food Programme is worried that millions of refugees are looking to a future of uncertainty and hunger as the impact of the pandemic on aid budgets play out in funding shortages for emergency operations.”
- Medium shot, showing a microphone in foreground, blurred and conference attendee to rear, seated and masked in front of chairs marked off with blue and white security tape, in line with COVID-19 distancing recommendations, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): “The number of people teetering on the brink of famine has risen from 34 million projected at the beginning of the year, to 41 million projected as of June. Without immediate emergency food assistance, they too face starvation as the slightest shock will push them over the cliff into famine conditions.”
- Medium shot, podium speakers, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): “These 41 million are people who are in IPC phase 4 emergency. But there is another category that this year is already facing famine-like conditions. That number stands at 584,000 people. These are people in in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, Madagascar, particularly the southern part; South Sudan, especially as we are now at the height of the lean season in that country, and Yemen.”
- Medium shot, conference attendee, masked and seated, head shot, with UNTV camera on tripod to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): “Significant funding shortfalls across east and southern Africa, as well as the Middle East, have forced ration cuts among some of the world’s most vulnerable people who rely on WFP to survive.”
- Medium shot, podium speakers, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): “We see more and more people in need because of the rising food crisis in the region. We have a lot of people unable to work, mainly because of the fallout from COVID-19. So, the situation in west Africa, or in west African countries – west and central Africa, indeed - countries like Chad, Niger and Burkina, Mauritanie; these are all countries of concern, including Sierra Leone as well.”
- Medium shot, podium speaker, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): “The cuts differ from country to country; in some cases it’s 40 per cent, in some cases it’s 25 per cent, in some cases it’s 60 per cent, but the message is, ‘What do I take home from this after saying so much?’ The fact is, the assistance we provide is a basic need, the assistance we provide is just enough to help people get by.”
- Close-up, podium speaker, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): ““WFP needs $5 billion in 2021 to avoid famine and meet the urgent food and nutrition needs of those people who are most at risk.”
- Close-up, conference attendee, masked, head shot, with TV screen to rear showing speakers and chairs marked off with blue and white security tape, in line with COVID-19 distancing recommendations, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- Medium shot, podium speaker, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- Medium shot, conference attendee seated alone with laptop, amid chairs marked off with blue and white security tape, in line with COVID-19 distancing recommendations, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Venezuela earthquake aftermath: ‘breakdown of basic services’, disease risks and health workers missing – UN agencies
As search and rescue operations continue in Venezuela thousands of displaced people are struggling to find shelter while infectious diseases threaten to spread, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today addressed the 62 Human Rights Council and made the following remarks on the report on Venezuela.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Friday called for action to prevent more deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, as well as for investigations and accountability.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IOM , paho , UNHCR , OHCHR , IFRC
Aid agencies on Friday highlighted massive needs across Venezuela caused by a double earthquake disaster that has killed at least 235 people so far, with search and rescue for people trapped under the rubble still the top priority.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango made the following remarks at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, on the latest report on sexual violence in the Sudanese conflict.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IOM , IFRC
Ebola in DRC: first month of outbreak sees record number of cases – UN humanitarians
Ebola has been spreading at unprecedented speed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), bringing risk and fear into people’s daily lives, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Afghanistan in Crisis: Drought, Malnutrition, and a Worsening Humanitarian Situation
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , OCHA
After another deadly night of clashes in Lebanon, aid agencies issued a new alert for Gaza, where 265 Palestinian children have been killed since a ceasefire was announced in October 2025.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | IAEA
The head of the UN’s atomic energy agency on Thursday welcomed the signing of an initial Iran-US memorandum aimed at ending the war, before proposing “to sit down” with both parties to assist with concrete measures including verification of Iran’s nuclear programme, a critical sticking point.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IFRC
‘Some people question whether Ebola is real’: trust is central in fighting DRC outbreak, humanitarians say
In Ebola-stricken Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), winning the race against the disease requires earning the community’s trust first and foremost, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday 15 June delivered his Global Update to the 62nd UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
2
1
1
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
As representatives of Iran and the United States reportedly prepared to sign a new peace agreement at the end of the week, the UN on Monday stressed the urgent need to open an aid corridor to transit the choked-off Strait of Hormuz and prevent a global hunger crisis.