UN Security Council addresses link between conflict and food insecurity

The United Nations Security Council recently held a debate regarding the critical link between armed conflict and acute food insecurity. UN Secretary-General António Guterres reported that at least 266 million people faced acute food insecurity last year, noting that essential food systems and the lives they support are under attack.

Conflict acts as a primary driver of hunger in 12 of the 13 most concerning food insecurity hotspots identified by the UN. Officials described a “vicious circle between conflict and hunger,” where war triggers famine, and famine subsequently creates conditions for further violence. Specific examples of these disruptions include farmers being expelled from lands in Somalia and markets being targeted by drones and missiles in Sudan.

Representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross emphasized that hunger is not an inevitable consequence of war and can be mitigated through the respect of international humanitarian law and the implementation of Resolution 2417. Key infrastructure, including water systems, electricity, irrigation, and transport, must be protected to prevent the total collapse of food supply chains.