We’re in a Global Hunger Crisis. Solution? Take JFK’s Approach

The U.S. government’s global famine warning system has sounded the alarm on hunger. As a result of conflict and drought “70 million people, across 45 countries, will require emergency food assistance this year.”

Four countries (South Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia) are in the gravest danger of famine.

As the Trump administration gets underway, they are suddenly faced with a world hunger crisis that is “unprecedented in recent decades.” How will they respond to the biggest foreign policy emergency of their first year?

See my full article at The History News Network:

We Must Respond to South Sudan Famine

The United Nations declared famine Monday in parts of South Sudan, where 100,000 people are facing starvation. It could get much worse too with another million on the brink.

South Sudan, which has suffered immensely from civil conflict, could see over 5 million people living in hunger if no action is taken.

Read the full article at the Huffington Post:

South Sudan: four million have no food

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), in a press release yesterday, says that 3.9 million in South Sudan are living in hunger.

Read the full article at Examiner.

Civilians face starvation in South Sudan, UN demands access

The United Nations warned today that 30,000 people are “facing starvation and death” in war-torn South Sudan. The UNWorld Food Programme, UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization are demanding immediate access to these starving war victims, who are in Unity State.

Read the full article at Examiner:

The hungry are not just a statistic

There are over 20 million people in war-torn Iraq, Yemen, Ukraine, South Sudan and Syria who are at risk of starvation. But as Ertharin Cousin, the director of the UN World Food Programme, reminds us the hungry are not just statistics.

See my latest commentary at Examiner.

Millions at risk of starvation in South Sudan

The hunger emergency in South Sudan is described as "frightening" by Oxfam's country director Zlatko Gegic. There are already 3.8 million people suffering from severe hunger in the conflict-torn nation.

Read the full article at Examiner.

Oxfam warns about South Sudan crisis

The charity Oxfam is warning that South Sudan has reached a breaking point as conflict and a collapsed economy take their toll. A severe hunger crisis could threaten over 3 million people by June.

Read the full article at Examiner.

Japan a friend to the hungry in South Sudan

The government of Japan has once again come through for the hungry and poor.

Read the full article at Examiner.

The Real and Heroic Hunger Games

In the Hunger Games movie, a silver parachute is air dropped to the story’s hero, Katniss. It saves her life for it contains humanitarian aid.

That’s not fiction though for starving people in South Sudan, who have food air dropped to them by the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

Read the full article at The Huffington Post.

Roundup of funding shortages for UN hunger relief

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the lead agency fighting hunger, requires voluntary donations for its aid missions. Without these contributions they cannot feed the hungry in Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and many other countries in need.

Read the full article at Examiner.

South Sudan: peace or famine

The coming new year may be another of horror in South Sudan. Aid agencies, including Oxfam and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), warn that famine could strike the country if a peace deal is not reached.

Read the full article at Examiner.

South Sudan: life-saving food for children is looted

As the war continues in South Sudan, children are suffering on a daily basis. Even if they escape the violence, they are at risk of deadly malnutrition because of food shortages.

Read the full article at Examiner.

South Sudan program offers glimpse of Feed the Future

As South Sudan struggles with a severe hunger crisis, ongoing aid programs offer a glimpse of what peace might bring.

Read the full article at Examiner.

School meals give hope in South Sudan

The war and hunger that has devastated South Sudan takes its toll in so many ways. One of the forgotten consequences is the loss of education among children. According to UNICEF around 400,000 children in South Sudan have dropped out of school because of the conflict.

Read the full article at Examiner.

Disputed African region faces hunger emergency

A severe hunger crisis has developed in Northern Abyei, which is a disputed region between South Sudan and Sudan. After a series of poor harvests, a nutrition assessment revealed high malnutrition rates.

Read the full article at Examiner.

Dry season critical for aid groups in South Sudan

The United Nations says that a “key window of opportunity” for hunger relief is coming in South Sudan. This is when the dry season arrives, starting around November.

Read the article at Examiner.

Violence and hunger continue in South Sudan

The United Nations, in a report released yesterday, says fighting is limiting the reach of humanitarian aid in South Sudan. Malnutrition is also severe in numerous counties in the war-torn nation.

Read the article at Examiner.