The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning that millions more people around the world could be pushed into acute hunger if ongoing conflict-driven disruptions continue, according to a report by the Financial Times (FT).
According to recent analysis from the WFP (as reported in various sources including UN updates and aligned with Financial Times coverage of global hunger trends), an additional 45 million people could face acute food insecurity if the conflict continues through June 2026, especially with oil prices staying above $100 per barrel. This would add to the already staggering 318-319 million people currently experiencing acute hunger worldwide, pushing totals toward 363 million—surpassing peaks seen after the 2022 Ukraine war.
Why the Middle East Conflict Threatens Global Hunger
The escalation in the Middle East, involving disruptions in key areas like the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea shipping routes, is driving up costs for energy, fuel, fertilizers, and food staples. These knock-on effects hit hardest in import-dependent regions:
- Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, where families already struggle with high food prices.
- Vulnerable populations priced out of basics like bread, rice, and cooking oil.
WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau described the situation as potentially the most severe disruption to humanitarian supply chains since the COVID-19 pandemic and the early Ukraine conflict days. “This would take global hunger levels to an all-time record, and it’s a terrible, terrible prospect,” Skau noted.