Tents set up inside a college in Beirut, Lebanon, provide accommodation for people who have been displaced by the conflict.
This article is published in association with United Nations.
Rising food prices, growing displacement and disruptions to global supply routes are placing millions of people across the Middle East at greater risk of hunger, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), which warns that the humanitarian system is struggling to keep pace with expanding needs.
The UN agency is working to sustain food assistance operations across roughly 10 countries in the region, in addition to Afghanistan, Samer Abdeljaber, WFP regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, told UN News.
Preliminary estimates indicate that about $200 million will be needed to support humanitarian operations over the next three months.
“The food security situation in the Middle East was already difficult even before this crisis, and recent developments have made it worse,” Mr. Abdeljaber said.
Tackling complex challenges
The region faces a complex mix of economic fragility, conflict and supply disruptions that are affecting the availability and affordability of food. Global supply chains have come under additional strain due to geopolitical tensions and risks affecting key maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, both crucial corridors for energy, fertiliser and commercial shipping.
According to Mr. Abdeljaber, disruptions along these routes can ripple across global markets.
“Any disruption in this vital corridor leads to reduced supplies, declining agricultural production and rising global food prices,” he said, noting that higher oil prices are already pushing up transportation and fuel costs worldwide.
Flour prices in Gaza surge 270 per cent
The impact is already being felt in several crisis-affected areas.
In the Gaza Strip, WFP is attempting to deliver food assistance to about 1.6 million people every month. However, the closure of crossings following the escalation of the crisis on 28 February triggered a sharp spike in local food prices.
“The price of flour in Gaza’s local market increased by 270 per cent,” Mr. Abdeljaber said. “When crossings are closed, even for just a few days, we are forced to reduce the food rations we provide to individuals.”
Following a truce in October, WFP had been able to provide 100 per cent of the full food ration to those in need.
But, current conditions may force the agency to reduce that assistance dramatically.
“Now we are being forced to consider reducing that ration to only about 25 per cent of an individual’s needs,” he explained.
Elsewhere in the region, large-scale displacement is increasing pressure on humanitarian operations.
© UNICEF/Charles Asamoah
A worker at the UNICEF warehouse in Denmark prepares aid supplies to be sent to Lebanon.
Lebanon and Syria
In Lebanon, more than 815,000 people have been displaced internally, many moving from southern areas or the southern suburbs of Beirut to other regions or temporary shelters. Approximately 580 shelters have been established across the country, with WFP currently supporting 215 of them.
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Within these shelters, around 52,000 people receive daily food assistance, while 180,000 individuals receive cash support to help meet their basic needs.
The regional crisis has also triggered cross-border movements. Around 84,000 Syrian refugees have returned to Syria from Lebanon, while approximately 9,000 Lebanese citizens have crossed into Syria in search of safety and assistance.
“These people of course need support inside Syria,” Abdeljaber noted.
More funding needed
Despite expanding needs, humanitarian agencies are facing a severe funding shortage that is forcing difficult decisions.
During the month of Ramadan, WFP announced that it had to suspend assistance for about 135,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan due to lack of funding. In Egypt, the agency has also been forced to halt support for 250,000 Sudanese refugees.
“This is why we need more funding to meet needs that already existed before the crisis and have multiplied since it began,” Mr. Abdeljaber said.
In Iran, the programme is currently assisting around 33,000 Afghan refugees living in camps. However, WFP has observed that some Afghans living in host communities are now moving into these camps, placing additional strain on humanitarian services.
Vulnerable communities pay the price
Beyond direct assistance, rising global prices are also eroding the purchasing power of vulnerable communities.
“In any country where fuel prices rise, the price of bread rises immediately, and transportation costs increase as well,” Mr. Abdeljaber said. “Even when we give people cash assistance, the money goes to markets where prices have already increased, reducing their purchasing power.”
With humanitarian needs growing rapidly, WFP is appealing to governments, donors and the private sector to step up support.
“We believe it is important to remain optimistic and work proactively,” Mr. Abdeljaber said. “We are working with Member States, donors and the private sector in the hope that we can secure the funding needed to help people in this difficult situation.”
Despite the challenges, WFP staff across the region continue their work in difficult conditions.
“In all the countries and places where we operate…our teams remain committed to doing everything they can to assist those affected by this crisis,” Mr. Abdeljaber concluded.
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