MOSCOW (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti): Around 40 countries currently require continuous external food assistance, Oleg Kobiakov, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Liaison Office with Russia, told RIA Novosti in an interview.
"There are around 40 countries and regions in the world that constantly seek external food assistance," Kobiakov said.
Famine is expected to worsen in 13 countries, with FAO urging major donors, including Russia, to make voluntary contributions to FAO and its partners' emergency assistance programmes, he said, adding that the list of countries with possible deteriorating situations includes Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Syria, Somalia, and Chad.
"The situation has noticeably improved in Southeast Asia and South Asia, primarily due to dynamic socio-economic growth in India, as well as in South America. Unfortunately, this positive trend stands in stark contrast to the steady increase in famine across most sub-regions of Africa and West Asia," Kobiakov said.
In 2024, the hunger rate in Africa exceeded 20 per cent, meaning one in every five people starved, he added. -- Bernama-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
