A joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) has included four Arab countries in a list of 13 countries classified as global hunger hotspots.

The report warned of a possible deterioration in food conditions during the period between June and November this year, citing the persistence of armed conflict and violence as the main cause of food crises in 12 of the 13 countries listed.

In the context of the countries included, the list included Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Palestine, where these countries were classified among the most dangerous countries in terms of the severity and extent of hunger, in light of the ongoing humanitarian crises and armed conflicts.

Other countries with escalating levels of acute food insecurity also included Chad, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Nigeria, Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Somalia and South Sudan.

Sudan. The most tragic focus

The report described Sudan as the world's most tragic epicenter, with a direct threat of famine in 14 regions that extend until early 2027 due to the expansion of the fighting.

In Palestine, the Gaza Strip continues to face a fragile food situation that is nearing total collapse. Yemen has nearly half of its population suffering from severe levels of food insecurity, and Somalia has been reclassified as a high-risk category as conflicts overlap with prolonged droughts in the Bay region.

The report pointed out that armed conflicts remain the most influential factor in exacerbating the crisis, as they constitute the main driver in 12 of the 13 hunger hotspots covered, pointing out that regional tensions have played a double role, especially those related to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the rise in the costs of fuel, shipping, insurance and fertilizers, which have led to an increase in food prices in Middle Eastern countries.

Climate change, especially El Niño, threatens droughts and floods that hit local agricultural production, exacerbating food security, the report said.

Funding gap

On the other hand, the report pointed to the significant challenges facing the global humanitarian response, as aid funding fell by nearly 59 percent between 2022 and 2025, which limited the ability of organizations to adequately implement food relief programs despite escalating needs in conflict zones.

The UN agencies called for urgent action to expand aid and ensure unhindered access, while stressing the importance of investing in livelihoods and strengthening the resilience of local communities in the face of worsening crises.

UN reports: 90% poverty rate in Syria

In 2026, the poverty rate in Syria reached more than 90% of the total population, according to estimates by United Nations organizations and economists, in one of the highest poverty rates recorded globally during the last decade.

Between 65% and 70% of Syrians fall below the extreme poverty line, meaning they are unable to secure a basic food basket without external aid, with purchasing power falling to unprecedented levels.

The minimum wage in the government sector, which amounts to 1.25 million Syrian pounds, does not cover more than 8% of the estimated monthly cost of living at about 13 million Syrian pounds, which makes reliance on salary alone completely incapable of lifting families out of the cycle of extreme poverty, according to reports, and as a result of this collapse, more than 70% of families inside the country are mainly dependent on remittances coming from abroad to secure food, medicine, and basic needs.

A UN report released last month classifies some 16.7 million people inside Syria as in urgent need of some form of humanitarian assistance or emergency protection to survive, as economic pressures persist, declining domestic production and a widening gap between income and the cost of living.