UN Chief Urges Global Rejection of Hunger as a Weapon of War

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the global community to firmly oppose the use of hunger as a tool in warfare. Speaking via video at a UN conference in Ethiopia, Guterres emphasized that climate change and ongoing conflicts from Gaza to Sudan—are worsening food insecurity and disrupting humanitarian efforts.

He warned that hunger fuels instability and undermines peace, declaring, “We must never accept hunger as a weapon of war.”

In Gaza, where aid has struggled to reach civilians after months of blockade, UN agencies report severe hunger and rising malnutrition. Despite recent easing of restrictions and a temporary pause in fighting, aid remains critically insufficient.

Meanwhile, in Sudan, the ongoing war between rival factions has triggered what the UN calls the world’s worst and most overlooked humanitarian crisis, with over seven million displaced and tens of thousands dead since April 2023.