One third of the Arab world ‘s population suffers from hunger: UN | United Nations News

Nearly 70 million people also suffered from malnutrition in the Arab world last year, according to a UN report.

One-third of the world’s 420 million Arabs do not have enough food to eat, according to the United Nations.

In a report released on Thursday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also said that between 2019 and 2020, the number of malnourished people in the Arab world rose from 4.8 million to 69 million, almost 16 per cent of the population.

The situation “was caused by prolonged crises, social unrest and multiple shocks and tensions such as conflict, poverty, inequality, climate change, scarce natural resources and the economic consequences associated with the recent COVID-19 pandemic,” the report says.

“Rising levels of malnutrition have occurred at all levels of income, both in conflict-affected and non-conflict-affected countries,” the FAO said. “Furthermore, by 2020, almost 141 million people did not have access to adequate food, more than 10 million people by 2019.”

He said the COVID-19 pandemic “caused another major shock” as the number of malnourished people in the region increased by 4.8 million compared to 2019.

‘Cause’

“Conflict remains one of the leading causes of hunger in the region, with approximately 53.4 million people suffering from hunger in conflict-affected countries and areas, which is six times higher than in non-conflict countries,” said Abdulhakim Elwaer. Assistant to the FAO Director-General and Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa.

“There will be no dramatic improvement in the situation this year, as the main drivers of hunger will continue to lead the way,” Elwaer added.

Conflict-stricken Somalia and Yemen were the worst-hit countries last year, killing nearly 60 Somalis and feeding more than 45 percent of Yemen, according to the report.

“Yemen had the highest prevalence of anemia in 2020, affecting 61.5 percent of women of childbearing age,” she said.

The FAO said hunger has risen by 91.1% in the Arab world over the past 20 years.

He said adult obesity was also on the rise, especially in the richest Arab states.

“Last year’s estimate for the Arab region shows that 28.8% of the adult population was obese, which is more than double the world average of 13.1%. High-income countries had the highest prevalence of adult obesity in the region, and low-income countries had the lowest levels. “