ReliefWeb

Almost 23 million people across 6 countries of East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda) are currently severely food insecure (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) phase 3 or worse). In total, 27 million people rely on food assistance for daily subsistence, including 4 million refugees.

Acute malnutrition levels across the region remain high and could further deteriorate.

The COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate the already fragile situation, especially among vulnerable communities with high levels of acute malnutrition, refugee settlements and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) camps, slums, and arid / semi-arid areas.

The possible increase in food prices across the region due to the restrictions in trade will make food insecurity worse for the most vulnerable, whose livelihoods are being affected by the pandemic.

In addition to COVID-19, the desert's locust situation remains critical, representing a threat to food security and l- ivelihoods, particularly in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.