UN warns hunger will worsen in 13 hotspots as Sudan, Palestine, Yemen stay worst-hit

The latest FAO–WFP hunger-hotspots outlook is a forward-looking warning, not a final outcome: from June through November 2026, the agencies say acute food insecurity is expected to worsen across 13 hotspots as conflict, funding shortfalls and climate shocks intensify pressure on food access.

The report puts Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine among the most severe hotspots. In AP’s coverage of the same release, Nigeria and Somalia were newly added to the highest-concern group, and five hotspots were described as being at immediate risk of starvation if conditions keep deteriorating.

Why the outlook is worsening

The broad pattern is familiar in the world’s worst hunger emergencies: fighting blocks planting, harvests and trade; shrinking humanitarian budgets reduce the reach of aid; and climate shocks such as droughts and floods can wipe out crops and livestock just as families are running out of savings.

That is why the report matters beyond the countries named in it. Hunger crises can spill across borders through displacement, strained aid corridors, market disruptions and added pressure on neighbors already dealing with food stress, migration flows and security risks.

What readers should watch next

The key question is whether access improves, funding holds and conflict eases before conditions slide further. If not, the next update could show a wider and deeper emergency, with higher costs for humanitarian agencies and more spillover effects for regional stability and global markets.

Sources

• World Food Programme: Hunger Hotspots: FAO-WFP Early Warnings of Acute Food Insecurity
• FAO joint news release on the hunger-hotspots report
• Associated Press: report on the hunger-hotspots warning