Food

The World Health Organization reported that weekly deaths from COVID-19 in Africa reached a record peak in the week ending 1 August, with more than 6,400 deaths recorded — the highest seven-day toll since the onset of the pandemic in Africa.  South Africa and Tunisia accounted for more than 55 per cent of the fatalities.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) say in a new report that conflict, coronavirus and the climate crisis are likely to increase hunger in 23 countries in the next four months.  Ethiopia and Madagascar are the world’s newest “highest alert” hunger hotspots, the report states.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the closing plenary of the Food Systems Pre-Summit in Rome today:

The United Nations refugee agency said today it is deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of six Rohingya refugees following heavy monsoon rains and strong winds which pelted refugee sites in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, causing flash floods and landslides.  More than 12,000 refugees have been affected, initial reports say.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that half a million people in parts of Balochistan province in Pakistan are facing crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity.  Another 100,000 people need immediate life-saving assistance due to severe drought-like conditions.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the Food Systems Pre-Summit ministerial round table on Transforming Food Systems for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals:  Rising to the Challenge, in Rome today:

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the plenary of the Food Systems Pre-Summit in Rome today:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Food Systems Pre-Summit in Rome today:

The World Food Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund say that as drought worsens in Madagascar, malnutrition rates are expected to quadruple among children in the South, where at least half a million under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished, including 110,000 in severe condition.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the opening of the Food Systems Pre-Summit in Rome today: