Millions of people in Afghanistan on the brink of famine

Kabul, Oct 27 (Prensa Latina) Afghanistan is on the brink of one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, United Nations agencies have warned, while more than half of the population faces an acute food shortage.

October 27, 2021
00:15

Millions of people will be forced to choose between emigrating or starving unless life-saving aid is brought forward, according to David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program (WFP), in a joint statement with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Nearly 22 of 38 million Afghans will be food insecured this winter, due to the drought caused by climate change and the chaos following the takeover of power by the Taliban.

The crisis in Afghanistan surpasses those in Yemen or Syria and it is worse than any food insecurity emergency except for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to statement from both agencies, one out of two Afghans faces food shortages and is one step away from famine as the country faces its worst winter in a decade.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu noted the urgency of accelerating and expanding aid deliveries in Afghanistan before winter causes the collapse of much of the country, with millions of people, including farmers, women, children and the elderly, going hungry.

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