A new joint United Nations report warns that people in five hunger hotspots — Sudan, Palestine (Occupied Palestinian Territory), South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali — face extreme hunger, starvation, and death in the next five months unless urgent humanitarian action is swiftly taken to de-escalate conflict, stop displacement, and provide full-scale aid.
According to the report released Monday, these five countries and territories are the hotspots of highest concern. Communities there are already facing famine, are at risk of famine, or are confronted with catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity.
Published twice a year by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the Hunger Hotspots report is an early-warning and predictive analysis of deteriorating food crises for the next five months.
The June edition projects a serious deterioration of acute food insecurity in 13 countries and territories — the world’s most critical hunger hotspots — from June to October 2025. Armed conflict remains the primary driver of hunger in 11 of the 13 hotspots, whereas economic shocks and natural hazards are other major drivers of hunger in these emergencies.
Growing access constraints and critical funding shortfalls are exacerbating the devastating crises, according to the report.
“This report is a red alert. We know where hunger is rising, and we know who is at risk,” said Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director.
"We have the tools and experience to respond, but without funding and access, we cannot save lives. Urgent, sustained investment in food assistance and recovery support is crucial, as the window to avert yet more devastating hunger is closing fast."
In addition to the five hotspots of the highest concern, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and Nigeria are now hotspots of very high concern. Urgent attention is needed to save lives and livelihoods in these countries. Other hotspots include Burkina Faso, Chad, Somalia, and Syria.
In 2024 famine was first confirmed in Sudan, the only country in the world where famine has been confirmed in multiple areas and continues to spread. Ten locations have been declared famine zones and 17 other areas are at risk of famine.
These conditions are expected to persist due to ongoing conflict and displacement, particularly in the Greater Kordofan and Greater Darfur regions. Displacement is likely to increase further during the outlook period, while humanitarian access remains restricted.
These circumstances are pushing the country toward partial economic collapse, with high inflation severely limiting access to food. Around 24.6 million people are projected to experience Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse levels of acute food insecurity through May 2025, including 8 million people facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and 637,000 people facing Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5).
In Palestine, the likelihood of famine in the Gaza Strip is growing as large-scale military operations hinder the delivery of vital food and non-food humanitarian assistance. In addition to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, high food prices, exhausted livelihoods, and a commercial blockade are accelerating the collapse of the economy.
The entire population of Gaza, totaling 2.1 million people, is projected to experience Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or higher levels of acute food insecurity through September 2025. More than one million individuals face emergency levels (IPC Phase 4), and an additional 470,000 individuals are projected to experience catastrophic levels (IPC Phase 5).
South Sudan is facing mounting threats from political tensions, the risk of flooding, and economic challenges. Between April and July 2025, approximately 7.7 million people — 57 percent of the population — are projected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), with 63,000 individuals facing Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) levels of acute food insecurity.
According to the latest information from the IPC, there is a risk of famine in two South Sudanese counties in the Upper Nile State.
In Haiti, record levels of gang violence and insecurity are forcing mass displacement and obstructing humanitarian operations, further exacerbating catastrophic food insecurity among displaced populations. By June 2025, over 8,400 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Area are expected to face catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 5) .
Meanwhile, in Mali, high grain prices and ongoing conflict are eroding the coping capacities of the most vulnerable households, particularly in conflict-affected areas. Around 2,600 people are at risk of experiencing catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) from June to August 2025 if assistance is not provided on time.
In Myanmar, the recent major earthquake will likely worsen the country's already dire food insecurity situation, driven by escalating conflict, widespread displacement, severe access restrictions, and high food prices.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been added back to the hotspot list due to intensifying conflict since early 2025.
“This report makes it very clear: hunger today is not a distant threat – it is a daily emergency for millions,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu.
“We must act now, and act together, to save lives and safeguard livelihoods. Protecting people’s farms and animals to ensure they can keep producing food where they are, even in the toughest and harshest conditions, is not just urgent – it is essential.”
Since the previous edition of the report, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have been removed from the Hunger Hotspots list.
After facing its worst hunger crisis in decades last year, Southern Africa has experienced better climatic conditions for harvests and fewer weather extremes, which have eased food security pressures. Conditions have also improved in East Africa and Niger. Meanwhile, Lebanon has been delisted due to the reduced intensity of hostilities.
However, FAO and WFP warn that these gains are fragile and could quickly reverse if shocks reemerge.
The report notes that aid delivery is significantly hindered in multiple hotspots due to restricted humanitarian access caused by insecurity, bureaucratic impediments, and physical isolation. At the same time, critical funding shortfalls are forcing reductions in food rations and limiting the scope of life-saving nutritional and agricultural interventions.
The Hunger Hotspots report emphasizes the importance of continued investment in early humanitarian action, noting that pre-emptive interventions save lives, reduce food gaps, and protect assets and livelihoods at a significantly lower cost than delayed humanitarian assistance.
Developed and published with financial support from the European Union through the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), the report aims to enhance and coordinate the generation and sharing of evidence-based information and analysis to prevent and address ongoing and emerging food crises.
The GNAFC recently published the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, which examines levels of acute food insecurity in 2024.
Further information
Full text: Hunger Hotspots. FAO–WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity. June to October 2025 outlook, Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), report, released June 16, 2025
https://www.fightfoodcrises.net/sites/default/files/resource/file/HungerHotspots2025_CD5684EN.pdf