The number of people suffering from hunger worldwide rose further in 2021 due to conflict, economic crises and extreme weather, according to a joint report issued by United Nations and the European Union.

The report showed that food security was at acute risk for 193 million people in 53 countries in 2021, a jump of almost 40 million people compared to the 2020 figure.

The international bodies said conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sudan, Syria and Nigeria were among the reasons the number of people facing hunger has been rising steadily over the past few years.

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing crisis only exacerbated the situation, the report said.

It said 570,000 people in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Southern Madagascar and Yemen were at risk of starvation in 2021.

The United Nations called for additional financial support as well as a stronger political will to halt the increasing numbers of people threatened by hunger globally.

The problem was worst in rural areas, the report said, with some two-thirds of people whose food security was at risk of living in remote regions.

As the report focuses on 2021, it made no mention of Russia’s war on Ukraine and its likely consequences for global food chains.

(dpa/NAN)