Location: Burkina Faso
Humanitarian advocate Rima Fakih and NYTimes columnist Nicholas Kristof joined WFP's Valerie Guarnieri and moderator Femi Oke for a lively exchange on how this triple threat has upended the health and security of billions of people around the world.
Burkina Faso, northeastern Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen are facing famine from a toxic combination of conflict, economic decline, climate extremes and coronavirus.
Violence and insecurity have pushed 7.4 million people in the Central Sahel region of West Africa into acute hunger. WFP has requested urgent access.
A new report exposes the destructive impact of conflict, climate change and economic crises, now compounded by COVID-19, in driving up hunger.
A whirlwind of conflict, displacement and pandemic means that more than 15 million kids could going hungry in West and Central Africa. We must respond immediately.
“Our message to the world is clear: Look away now and the consequences will be no less than catastrophic,” says Chris Nikoi, WFP’s Regional Director for West Africa.
Experts forecast that close to 4.8 million people in the Central Sahel will be at risk of food insecurity during the lean season (June-August 2020) if no appropriate actions are taken urgently.
The sheer scale and complexity of the challenges in Africa and other regions will stretch the resources and capacity of WFP and other agencies to the limit.
WFP warns of an escalating humanitarian crisis driven by widespread violence and the long-term impact of climate change that has gripped Burkina Faso and neighboring countries in the Central Sahel region of West Africa.
Comprised of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the Sahel sits just below the Sahara desert and has become one of the world's worst hunger emergencies.
Homegrown school feeding is not only transforming the lives of students, but entire communities.
The Sahel nation faces a multidimensional crisis driven by insecurity, political instability, climate change and rising food prices.