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As wars grind on from Sudan to Ukraine, hunger deepens across three continents
Fighting and hunger now drive each other across the countries we track. Sudan's civil war continues with no ceasefire in sight, and 33.7 million people need assistance in 2026 (OCHA, 2026). The Rapid Support Forces still occupy El Fasher, which they took in October 2025. In Gaza, a ceasefire on paper has not stopped the killing: at least 1,092 people have died in post-ceasefire Israeli strikes (Gaza Ministry of Health), and aid volumes remain below earlier levels. Russia agreed to resume peace talks, then missiles hit Kyiv (BBC, 22 Oct 2026).
For families, the wars arrive at the market and the table. The Iran war has cut Strait of Hormuz shipping to about 15 transits a day, against roughly 110 before it began, raising the cost of food imports across the Gulf and East Africa. Drought is underway from Sudan and Ethiopia to the Sahel (GDACS, 22 Oct 2026), and Burkina Faso's besieged town of Djibo faces credible famine risk (IPC). Aid agencies should move food stocks toward Djibo and Yemen's western coast now, before supply routes tighten further. Donors must close the funding gaps that keep those deliveries short.
Watch items
- Japan — Typhoon Champi could make landfall, affecting 11.9 million people in forecast winds
- Burkina Faso — JNIM blockade could tip Djibo's besieged families into famine
- Yemen — Families on the western coast face fresh displacement, MSF reports