UN agency says 13.7 million people face severe hunger due to global aid

15/10/2025 17:03

Almost 14 million people in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan risk severe hunger due to cuts in global humanitarian aid.



The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned that this will be a devastating of catastrphic proportion.



The WFP's biggest donor, the United States, has slashed its foreign aid under US President Donald Trump, and other major nations have also made or announced cuts in development and humanitarian assistance.



The agency expects to receive 40% less funding for 2025, resulting in a projected budget of $6.4 billion, down from $10 billion in 2024."



A WFP report, titled "A Lifeline at Risk", warned that cuts to its food assistance could push 13.7 million people from "crisis" to "emergency" levels of hunger, one step away from famine in a five-level international hunger scale.



According to WFP executive director Cindy McCain it is at risk of losing decades of progress in the fight against hunger" .



McCain also added even hard-won gains in the Sahel region, where 500,000 people have been lifted out of aid dependence, could experience severe setbacks without help, which we want to prevent