Afghanistan among countries at risk as hunger and poverty intensify

KABUL: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that people from Afghanistan to Yemen, Gaza, and Sudan are suffering from “the fear of war, hunger, displacement, and discrimination.” Guterres called on the international community to extend assistance and hope to those affected during what he described as a “difficult time,” urging governments and institutions to uphold human rights and protect vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) warned that Afghanistan is likely to face severe food shortages and emergency conditions over the next three months, driven by the winter season and declining household incomes. According to the network, impoverished families may be forced to adopt extreme coping strategies, including selling livestock, arranging early marriages for girls, or resorting to begging in order to secure food. Prolonged drought, reduced remittances, limited job opportunities, the return of migrants, and ongoing economic stagnation were cited as the main factors exacerbating food insecurity and deepening humanitarian suffering.