How does conflict cause hunger?
Conflict is the main driver of hunger in most of the world’s food crises, from Sudan to Syria, from Yemen to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, pushing food and nutrition insecurity to historic levels. A sharp escalation of conflict in Palestine has seen hunger levels soar there also. Food insecurity worsens when fighting drives large numbers of people from their homes, land and livelihoods, and when it restricts access to life-saving assistance.
The United Nations Security Council acknowledged the link between conflict and hunger, and condemned the use of starvation as a weapon of war, when it adopted its landmark Resolution 2417 in 2018. This resolution recognizes the need to break the vicious cycle of armed conflict and hunger, and to establish accountability for those who exploit starvation for their own ends.