Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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November 17, 2025 Peace and security
On Monday, the UN Security Council held an open debate on food security and the role of hunger as a consequence of and driver of conflict. In her address, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasized that war and famine "often represent two sides of the same crisis."
She noted that armed conflict destroys farmland, markets and roads, while hunger "feeds despair, and despair feeds displacement and violence."
According to her, it is the armed conflict that causes food shortages in 14 of 16 global famine hotspots.
"In Sudan, where the war is unfolding the world's largest crisis"Food-related violence is fueling famine in Darfur and Kordofan. In Gaza, where famine was confirmed in August, the situation remains dire. In Haiti, Yemen, the Sahel, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, millions of people are trapped in a vicious cycle of hunger and conflict," Mohammed noted.
Global consequences
The First Deputy Secretary-General drew attention to the global consequences of instability: "The war in Europe disrupted grain exports, causing food crises in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Markets panicked, inflation soared, and millions of people went hungry."
"Food itself has become a weapon—through the targeted deprivation of food, as we're seeing, including in Gaza," she warned. "Agricultural systems are being destroyed, trade flows are being blocked, and the infrastructure and facilities that ensure food security are being destroyed."
Mohammed also noted that climate change is worsening the crisis: "Floods are washing away crops, droughts are turning fields to dust, and rising temperatures are destroying pastures."
She proposed four areas of action: ensuring humanitarian access and respect for international humanitarian law, building resilient food systems through long-term investments and integration with social services and markets, climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, and political settlement as the only sustainable solution.
Humanitarian access and protection of civilians
UN Assistant Humanitarian Secretary Joyce Msuya, speaking on behalf of UN Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, said the most acute food crises – including famines in Gaza and Sudan – are primarily caused by armed conflict and violence. She added that in Yemen, "the destruction of infrastructure is hampering imports, ongoing conflict causes population displacement and exacerbates the economic downturn, while restrictions on humanitarian access and insecurity hinder the delivery of aid."
"Hunger puts people at higher risk of sexual exploitation, violence, and forced displacement as they struggle simply to feed themselves. Women are particularly vulnerable, often putting their families' needs above their own," the speaker emphasized.
Msuya recalled the provisions of international humanitarian law: "In armed conflicts, civilians and civilian objects must be protected. The use of starvation as a method of warfare is prohibited. It is also prohibited to attack, destroy, remove, or disable objects vital to civilian survival."
The role of early warning
In turn, Máximo Torero, Chief Economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), spoke about the role of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) in monitoring crises and taking timely action. The IPC "provides a reference, similar to a common currency, for analyzing food security and nutrition in emergency situations" worldwide and helps determine whether a full-scale famine is occurring or is projected in a country.
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"This is the first time that famine – caused by conflict – has been confirmed more than once in a year," the expert noted.
Torero emphasized the value of early warning: "Waiting for famine to strike before taking decisive action is acting too late. In Sudan and Gaza, the ICF provided early warnings, calling for immediate action to prevent the worst consequences."
Africa: A massive food disaster
In his speech, the African Union's Special Envoy for Food Systems, Ibrahim Mayaki, noted that "Africa has become the epicentre of global hunger, with 20.4 percent of the region's population experiencing food insecurity, twice the global level."
In Sudan, in particular, 25.6 million people – 54 percent of the population – suffer from nutritional deficiency. Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the Sahel, the situation is also extremely dire, with millions of displaced people and economic damage amounting to billions of dollars.
"Malnutrition alone costs Africa's economies over $25 billion annually. Without urgent action, millions of people will face catastrophic hunger, and entire regions risk irreversible decline," the speaker warned.
Moreover, according to Mayaki, Africa has lost 34 percent of its agricultural productivity since 1961 and accounts for 35 percent of global losses from extreme weather events. Only 40 percent of the continent's residents have access to early warning systems. Food imports in 2025 are projected to reach $110 billion, compared to $43 billion in 2019.
Mayaki also noted a reduction in humanitarian funding. For example, support for the food sector fell by 30 percent in 2023, with further cuts expected in 2024.
“The links between conflict and hunger in Africa are profound and mutually reinforcing,” the African Union Special Envoy stressed.
“Without peace, Africa will not be able to feed itself, and without food security, the world will not be sustainable,” he concluded, calling for the protection of food systems, the integration of hunger indicators into early warning and monitoring, and increased international financing in line with Africa’s strategic vision.
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