A joint report by two United Nations bodies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), has declared Afghanistan and Pakistan “early warning hotspots”
In a joint report, two United Nations bodies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have predicted that the food insecurity in Pakistan and Afghanistan may exacerbate. This is conditional and depends on the worsening of the economic and political crisis the two nations are experiencing.
As per Khaama Press, the two nations have been declared “early warning hotspots”. The warning, as per ANI, has been issued in a report jointly published by the two bodies for the period from June to November.
What did they say?
As per the report, Afghanistan and Pakistan, along with “the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Syrian Arab Republic, are hotspots with very high concern, and the warning is also extended to Myanmar in this edition.”
The report further said that in all these areas, a high number of people are facing acute food insecurity, which is coupled with other factors.
“All these hotspots have a high number of people facing critical acute food insecurity, coupled with worsening drivers that are expected to further intensify life-threatening conditions in the coming months.”
Pakistan’s troubles
As per the report, between September and December 2023, some 8.5 million people in the country will probably face acute food insecurity.
Pakistan is currently witnessing terrible political turmoil. On top of that, the nation’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial bailout has already been delayed by around seven months.
For Pakistan, whose GDP in 2021 amounted to merely $350 billion in 2021, the repayment amount of $77.5 billion over the next three years is “substantial”, reports Khaama Press.
The report predicts that Pakistan’s coal and food export revenues could witness a decline if the economic and political crisis persists and the security situation in border areas continues to deteriorate.
As per the report, “The political crisis and civil unrest are likely to worsen ahead of general elections scheduled for October 2023, amid growing insecurity in the northwest of the country. A shortage of foreign reserves and a depreciating currency are diminishing the country’s ability to import essential food items and energy supplies and increasing food items’ prices besides causing nationwide energy cuts.”
Afghanistan’s distress
Almost 70 per cent of Afghanistan is struggling to afford two square meals a day. As per Khaama Press, economic and political crises are further impacting households’ buying power and reducing their ability to purchase food and other essential goods.
As per a report by news agency ANI: “Afghanistan has become insular after the Taliban assumed power in August 2021.”
Source: WION