UN says 266 million people face acute hunger
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Actualité.cd
More than 266 million people worldwide face acute food insecurity, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo is among the worst-affected countries, according to the UN. In Rome on 19 October, António Guterres attributed persistent hunger to conflict, climate change and the cost of living, and called on governments and others to act.
More than 266 million people around the world are facing acute food insecurity, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo is among the worst-affected countries, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. He issued the warning on 19 October at the opening of the 54th session of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security in Rome.
António Guterres attributed worsening access to food to conflict, climate change and the rising cost of living. He stressed that global production would be enough to feed the entire population, but millions of people are still struggling to access basic goods.
The Secretary-General called on governments, farmers, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, businesses and civil society to turn their commitments into action. He also warned that an especially intense El Niño could worsen difficulties for food systems, particularly in developing countries, and called for food and fertiliser supply chains to be protected.
In the DRC, more than 26.5 million people — nearly one in four residents — are struggling to meet their basic food needs, according to data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. In May 2026, the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations had already warned of the scale of the crisis in the country.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
