Published on: 2026-08-25
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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August 25, 2026 Peace and Security
Conflicts remain the main cause of acute food shortages worldwide, and their consequences increasingly extend far beyond combat zones, disrupting global supplies of food, fertilizers, and energy resources. This was stated on Tuesday by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during the open debate of the Security Council.
The ministerial-level meeting, chaired by Denmark, was dedicated to the theme “Food Under Threat: The Role of the Security Council in Mitigating the Impact of Food Crises at Global and Local Levels.”
“Critical food systems – both the lives and livelihoods of the people who depend on them – are under attack,” the Secretary-General stated. He recalled that in Resolution 2417, adopted in 2018, the Security Council recognized the link between armed conflicts, lack of food security, and the threat of hunger. “There is no time to lose,” Guterres emphasized.
Conflicts and hunger
According to the Secretary-General, in the Sahel conflicts are forcing farmers to abandon their fields, in Sudan markets are being hit by drones and missiles, and in Haiti violence by gangs has cut off entire communities from the outside world. From Gaza to Mali, Myanmar, and Sudan, humanitarian workers are obstructed in providing aid, and some of them themselves become victims of attacks.
“It is no coincidence that in 2025 not only the largest number of armed conflicts since World War II was recorded, but also one of the highest levels of acute hunger in recorded history: at least 266 million people faced acute food shortages,” said Guterres.
Last year, for the first time this century, famine was simultaneously confirmed in two separate crises – in Sudan and the Gaza Strip. The Secretary-General called this a “shameful milestone.” According to the latest UN report on “hunger hotspots,” conflicts and violence are the main cause of the crisis in 12 of the 13 most dangerous epicenters.
The consequences go beyond the boundaries of conflicts
Guterres emphasized that the consequences of wars for food security are not limited to combat zones. The war on the territory of Ukraine affects the export of grain and energy resources from Ukraine and Russia through the Black Sea. The crisis in the Middle East creates new risks for global supply chains.
About one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments and one-third of global fertilizer trade pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Restrictions and shipping closures have already led to price increases and reduced availability of goods. Attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea pose an additional threat to food supplies and other goods. Countries that depend on imports and are simultaneously burdened with high levels of debt are especially vulnerable.
The best defense against the lack of food security is peace
The Secretary-General recalled the temporary UN mechanism proposed to meet the humanitarian needs arising from the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. In its initial phase, it is intended to ensure the supply of fertilizers and raw materials for their production, and subsequently it may be extended to other goods.
“Cooperation and political will of the parties are now necessary. I urge all participants to interact seriously and constructively,” Guterres said. At the same time, he emphasized that such an initiative cannot replace the complete restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Three steps
The Secretary-General proposed three courses of action to the Security Council. First, Resolution 2417 must be implemented consistently and in full. Parties to conflicts are obliged to protect objects essential for the survival of the civilian population, including food, crops, livestock, and sources of drinking water, as well as to ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.
“We cannot wait until hunger or catastrophic conditions are officially confirmed. I urge the Council to act when warning signs light up,” Guterres said.
Secondly, it is necessary to protect food systems as a whole — farms, water supply systems, markets, warehouses, ports, and supply routes, including cross-border and maritime transportation of food, agricultural resources, and humanitarian aid.
Thirdly, it is necessary to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and hold accountable those responsible for unlawfully obstructing the delivery of aid. Resolution 2417 provides for the possibility of the Council adopting appropriate measures, including sanctions.
“The best protection against the lack of food security is peace. And the safest conditions for peace are a world without hunger,” the Secretary-General concluded.
Reduction of humanitarian funding
Speaking at the Security Council, Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme Karl Skau drew special attention to the situation in Somalia, which he visited last week. According to him, families displaced by conflicts and drought are once again facing catastrophic hunger. “Waiting for an official declaration of famine is a complete failure in fulfilling our duty,” he stated.
Skau emphasized that for families who have nothing to feed their children, the food crisis quickly turns into a threat to stability. “When families cannot put food on the table, they face an impossible choice: to starve, to leave, or to rebel. And the cycle repeats,” said the head of WFP.
At the same time, the capabilities of humanitarian organizations are shrinking due to a lack of funds. WFP, according to Skau, will continue to do everything possible to help people caught in conflict zones, despite the reduction in humanitarian funding. “But humanitarian organizations cannot replace political action,” he emphasized, urging states to finance vital operations and achieve political solutions capable of preventing famine.
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