Across Africa, millions of lives are threatened by hunger, driven by a lack of resources, peace, and international support. Ethiopia is now approaching a critical juncture.
As famine continues to ravage several regions of the continent, the World Food Programme (WFP) has announced the imminent suspension of its nutritional assistance to 650,000 women and children due to insufficient funding. Without emergency aid by the end of the month, up to 3.6 million people could be left without assistance, in a country where more than 10 million already suffer from acute food insecurity.
“We are on the brink of disaster,” warned Zlatan Milisic, WFP Country Director in Ethiopia.
The Somali, Oromia, Afar, and Tigray regions have already surpassed emergency thresholds, with child malnutrition rates exceeding 15%. Despite ongoing efforts, the WFP has been forced to drastically reduce its operations, with current funding reaching only half of last year’s levels.
Compounding the crisis are armed conflicts, natural disasters such as droughts and floods, disease outbreaks, and increasing insecurity for humanitarian workers. In the Amhara region, for instance, violence is preventing aid from reaching more than 500,000 people.
Beyond Ethiopia, millions more across Africa—from South Sudan to Somalia, the Central African Republic, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of Congo—are enduring relentless hunger. This crisis is fueled by a devastating mix of conflict, climate shocks, political instability, and chronic underfunding of humanitarian operations.
This silent scourge is spreading across the continent, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated international response to alleviate immediate suffering and strengthen long-term resilience in the face of recurring crises.