Middle East crisis pushing millions more into hunger in vulnerable countries: WFP

The fallout from the Middle East crisis is already pushing millions more people into hunger in some of the world's most vulnerable countries, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.

In a new report, WFP said an additional 2.5 million people in Somalia, 1.3 million in Sri Lanka, and 2.3 million in Afghanistan are struggling to meet basic food needs and, in some cases, are being driven into acute hunger as a result of the crisis.

The findings come three months after WFP warned that 45 million people worldwide could fall into acute food insecurity if the conflict persisted and oil prices remained elevated.

"We warned that this crisis could push millions more people into hunger; now we are watching it happen in real time," said Jean-Martin Bauer, director of WFP's Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service.

According to the report, countries already facing conflict, climate shocks, and economic hardship are among the most exposed as fuel, fertilizer, food, and humanitarian costs continue to rise.

In Somalia, nearly 60% of households could be unable to meet basic needs in 2026, up from 47% a year earlier. The Horn of Africa nation is highly exposed to global price shocks, importing all of its oil and 90% of its cereals, according to the report.

In Sri Lanka, WFP said the country remains vulnerable as it recovers from a prolonged economic crisis. It relies on the Middle East for 63% of its energy supplies, while 44% of remittances and 45% of tea exports are linked to Gulf countries, exposing households and workers to shocks in energy prices, trade, and income. Rising food, fuel, and fertilizer costs are further stretching household budgets.

In Afghanistan, where 13.8 million people were already food insecure before the latest crisis, exposure is compounded by strong economic ties to neighboring Iran, which accounts for 60% of Afghan exports and 50% of imports.

WFP warned that the effects are likely to intensify even if the Middle East crisis eases, as farmers face planting seasons marked by fertilizer shortages and high fuel costs that could reduce harvests and drive food prices higher.

The agency also said it is facing rising operational costs and funding shortages, estimating it will assist 1.5 million fewer people than originally planned this year.

If the crisis continues, more than 9 million people could lose humanitarian assistance, it warned.