On Tuesday, eleven international aid organisations said the war in Ukraine had placed West Africa on the brink of its worst food crisis in a decade.

The aid agencies, including Oxfam, Save the Children and World Vision, said they were concerned the war was worsening the already catastrophic situation in the region.

In a joint statement, the groups said that more than 27 million people were already suffering from hunger in the region, and that number could rise by another 11 million by June.

According to United Nations estimates, 6.3 million children aged six months to five years will be acutely malnourished in the region.

This crisis was precipitated by a decline in cereal production due to droughts, floods, conflicts, and the coronavirus pandemic’s economic impact.

Now the war in Ukraine is exacerbating the situation. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), food prices could rise by 20 per cent worldwide.

In addition, the war is expected to lead to a significant decline in wheat availability for many African countries, which import much of the commodity from Russia or Ukraine.

On the other side of the continent, in the Horn of Africa, the worst drought in 40 years is currently risking the livelihoods of millions.

According to UN figures, in parts of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, more than 13 million people are threatened by acute hunger.

(dpa/NAN)