Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Yemen's war is leaving children on the brink of famine. Warning: This video contains some distressing scenes

The world is facing its largest humanitarian crisis since 1945, the United Nations says, issuing a plea for help to avoid "a catastrophe".

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said that more than 20 million people faced the threat of starvation and famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria.

Unicef has already warned 1.4m children could starve to death this year.

Mr O'Brien said $4.4bn (£3.6bn) was needed by July to avert disaster.

"We stand at a critical point in history," Mr O'Brien told the Security Council on Friday. "Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations."

"Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine. Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death. Many more will suffer and die from disease.

"Children stunted and out of school. Livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost. Communities' resilience rapidly wilting away. Development gains reversed. Many will be displaced and will continue to move in search for survival, creating ever more instability across entire regions."

Mr O'Brien's comments follow on from a similar appeal made by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres last month.

At that time, he revealed the UN had only received $90m (£74m) so far in 2017, despite generous pledges.

Like Mr O'Brien, he urged more financial support for the four countries. But why are they in such dire need?

Yemen

Image copyright Unicef Image caption Five-year-old Mohannad Ali sits in hospital in Yemen in December. His younger cousin - aged just two - died of hunger

The pictures were among the most shocking of last year: emaciated children, clinging on to life with what little strength they had left. Four-year-olds not bigger than infants. And mothers unable to do anything to stop their children dying.

It is thought a child dies every 10 minutes in Yemen from a preventable disease, while half-a-million children under five are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The UN estimates some 19 million people - or two thirds of Yemen's population - is in need of some sort of humanitarian help following two years of war between Houthi insurgents and the government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

What's hampering aid?

Continuing fighting, lack of rule of law, poor governance, under-development.

A naval embargo imposed by the Saudi-led coalition, fighting around the government-controlled port of Aden and air strikes on the rebel-held port of Hudaydah, have severely reduced imports since 2015.

A lack of fuel, coupled with insecurity and damage to markets and roads, have also prevented supplies from being distributed.

Read more: How bad is Yemen's humanitarian crisis?

South Sudan

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Ravaged by war, now famine has hit South Sudan

UN agencies say 100,000 people are facing starvation in South Sudan, while a further million are classified as being on the brink of famine.

It is the most acute of the present food emergencies, and the most widespread nationally.

Overall, says the UN, 4.9 million people - or 40% of South Sudan's population - are "in need of urgent food, agriculture and nutrition assistance".

What's hampering aid?

Continuing fighting in the country that now has been at war since 2013, lack of rule of law, under-development.

Some UN officials have suggested President Salva Kiir's government has been blocking food aid to certain areas - a claim denied by the authorities.

There have also been reports of humanitarian convoys and warehouses coming under attack or being looted, either by government or rebel forces.

Read more: Why are there still famines?

Nigeria

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Starvation could kill more people than Boko Haram

The UN has described the unfolding disaster in north-eastern Nigeria as the "greatest crisis on the continent" - the full extent of which has only been revealed as extremist militant group Boko Haram is pushed back.

It was already known the Islamist group had killed 15,000 and pushed more than two million from their homes. But as they retreated, it became clear there were thousands more people living in famine-like conditions in urgent need of help.

The UN estimated in December there were 75,000 children at risk of starving to death. Another 7.1 million people in Nigeria and the neighbouring Lake Chad area are considered "severely food insecure".

What's hampering aid?

Boko Haram attacks, lack of rule of law, under-development.

There are still areas under the control of Boko Haram, which aid agencies cannot reach.

Thee have also been allegations of widespread aid theft, which are being investigated by Nigeria's senate.

Read more: 'We survived militants but face starvation'

Somalia

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Hospitals are seeing children with severe dehydration

The last time a famine was declared in Somalia - just six years ago - nearly 260,000 people died.

At the beginning of March, there were reports of 110 people dying in just one region in a 48-hour period.

Humanitarian groups fear this could be just the beginning: a lack of water - blamed partially on the El Nino weather phenomenon - has killed off livestock and crops, leaving 6.2 million people in urgent need of help.

What's hampering aid?

Continuing attacks by Islamist militant group al-Shabab, lack of rule of law, under-development.

Piracy off Somalia's coast impeded shipments in the past - however attacks have reduced significantly in recent years.

Read more: More than 100 die from hunger in one region</s>UNITED STATES: The United Nations is warning that the world is facing its worst humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II, with more than 20 million people facing starvation and famine in four countries.

The world body's humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien called Friday for an urgent mobilisation of funds - US$4.4 billion by July - for northeastern Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen to "avert a catastrophe."

"Otherwise, many people will predictably die from hunger, livelihoods will be lost and political gains that have been hardwon over the last few years will be reversed," O'Brien said in his stark warning to the UN Security Council.

"Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death. Many more will suffer and die from disease. Children stunted and out of school. Livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost."

He called war-wracked Yemen "the largest humanitarian crisis in the world," with two thirds of the population, or 18.8 million people - three million more than in January - in need of assistance and more than seven million with no regular access to food.

The conflict in Yemen has left more than 7,400 people dead and 40,000 wounded since an Arab-state coalition intervened on the government's side against rebels in March 2015, according to UN figures.

In just the past two months alone, more than 48,000 people have fled fighting in the Arab world's poorest country, according to O'Brien, as it grapples with a proxy war fought by archrivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

During recent meetings, O'Brien said senior leaders in both parties agreed to provide continuous humanitarian access and respect international humanitarian law.

He noted that 4.9 million people received food assistance last month alone.

"Yet all parties to the conflict are arbitrarily denying sustained humanitarian access and politicise aid," he added.

"Already, the humanitarian suffering that we see in Yemen today is caused by the parties and proxies and if they don't change their behavior now, they must be held accountable for the inevitable famine, unnecessary deaths and associated amplification in suffering that will follow."

He noted that despite assurances from all parties that he would obtain safe passage to the flashpoint city of Taiz, he was in fact denied access and came under gunfire after retreating to a short distance away.

A total of US $2.1 billion is needed to reach 12 million people with life-saving assistance and protection in Yemen this year, according to O'Brien, who noted that just six per cent of those funds have been received so far.

He announced that a ministerial-level pledging event for Yemen will take place in Geneva on April 25, to be chaired by UN chief Antonio Guterres.

During his visit last week to South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, O'Brien said he found a situation that is "worse than it has ever been."

"The famine in South Sudan is man-made," he added.

"Parties to the conflict are parties to the famine, as are those not intervening to make the violence stop."

He said more than 7.5 million people need assistance, an increase of 1.4 million from last year. And some 3.4 million people are displaced, including nearly 200,000 who have fled South Sudan since January alone.

More than half the population of Somalia, 6.2 million people, need humanitarian assistance and protection, including 2.9 million at risk of famine.

Nearly one million children under the age of five will be "acutely malnourished" this year, according to the humanitarian chief, who also visited the country.

"What I saw and heard during my visit to Somalia was distressing - women and children walk for weeks in search of food and water," O'Brien said.

"They have lost their livestock, water sources have dried up and they have nothing left to survive on. With everything lost, women, boys, girls and men now move to urban centres."

In northeastern Nigeria, O'Brien said 10.7 million people need humanitarian aid, including 7.1 million people who are "severely food insecure."

The humanitarian emergency afflicting the area was triggered by the Boko Haram insurgency, which erupted in Nigeria in 2009. Poor governance and climate change have also been powerful contributors to the crisis.

The conflict, which has left around 20,000 people dead and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes, has aggravated an already difficult humanitarian situation in one of the poorest regions of the world.</s>The world faces its largest humanitarian crisis since 1945 with over 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine, the United Nations has said.

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien called for an immediate injection of funds for South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Nigeria.

"To be precise, we need $4.4 billion by July," Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council on Friday.

Mr O'Brien said the largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen where two-thirds of the population - 18.8 million people - need aid.

"More than seven million don't know where their next meal will come from,"

"That is three million more chronically hungry people than in January," he added.
• South Sudan situation "worse than it has ever been"

In South Sudan, the world's newest country, the situation "is worse than it has ever been," the humanitarian chief said.

The world's newest country, which has been blighted by a three-year civil war and economic turmoil, is in the grip of the world's first famine for six years.

The UN has warned 100,000 people face starvation with a further 1 million at risk.

According to Unicef, more than 270,000 children are suffering severe malnutrition in South Sudan.

ITV News Africa correspondent John Ray recently visited the country and witnessed first-hand the human cost of the famine.

In northeast Nigeria, more than 20,000 people have been killed during a seven-year uprising by the Boko Haram Islamic extremist group.

The conflict has also driven an estimated 2.6 million from their homes.

In February, a UN humanitarian coordinator said malnutrition in the northeast is so pronounced that some communities many young children have died.

Meanwhile, in Somalia, which Mr O'Brien also visited, more than half the population 6.2 million people are said to need humanitarian assistance and protection

This includes 2.9 million who are at risk of famine and require immediate help "to save or sustain their lives," he said.

Mr O'Brien also warned that close to one million children under the age of five will be "acutely malnourished" this year.

"To be clear, we can avert a famine," O'Brien said.

"We're ready despite incredible risk and danger ... but we need those huge funds now."

ITV News International Affairs Editor Rageh Omaar has visited Somaliland - which gained independence from the rest of the country in 1991 - where a severe drought has brought it to crisis.</s>The world faces the largest humanitarian crisis since the United Nations was founded in 1945 with more than 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine, the UN humanitarian chief has said.

Stephen O’Brien told the UN Security Council that “without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death” and “many more will suffer and die from disease”.

He urged an immediate injection of funds for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and north-east Nigeria plus safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid “to avert a catastrophe”.

“To be precise,” Mr O’Brien said, “we need 4.4 billion dollars (£3.6 billion) by July.”

Without a major infusion of money, he said, children will be stunted by severe malnutrition and will not be able to go to school, gains in economic development will be reversed and “livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost”.

UN and food organisations define famine as when more than 30% of children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition and mortality rates are two or more deaths per 10,000 people every day, among other criteria.

“Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations,” Mr O’Brien said. “Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine.”

Mr O’Brien said the largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen where two-thirds of the population – 18.8 million people – need aid and more than seven million people are hungry and don’t know where their next meal will come from. “That is three million people more than in January,” he said.

The Arab world’s poorest nation is engulfed in conflict and Mr O’Brien said more than 48,000 people fled fighting just in the past two months.

During his recent visit to Yemen, Mr O’Brien said he met senior leaders of the government and the Shiite Houthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa, and all promised access for aid.

“Yet all parties to the conflict are arbitrarily denying sustained humanitarian access and politicise aid,” he said, warning if that behaviour doesn’t change now “they must be held accountable for the inevitable famine, unnecessary deaths and associated amplification in suffering that will follow.”

For 2017, O’Brien said 2.1 billion dollars (£1.7 billion) is needed to reach 12 million Yemenis “with life-saving assistance and protection” but only 6% has been received so far. He announced that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will chair a pledging conference for Yemen on April 25 in Geneva.

The UN humanitarian chief also visited South Sudan, the world’s newest nation which has been ravaged by a three-year civil war, and said “the situation is worse than it has ever been”.

“The famine in South Sudan is man-made,” he said. “Parties to the conflict are parties to the famine – as are those not intervening to make the violence stop.”

Mr O’Brien said more than 7.5 million people need aid, up by 1.4 million from last year, and about 3.4 million South Sudanese are displaced by fighting including almost 200,000 who have fled the country since January.</s>UNITED NATIONS — The world faces the largest humanitarian crisis since the United Nations was founded in 1945 with more than 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine, the U.N. humanitarian chief said Friday.

Stephen O’Brien told the U.N. Security Council that “without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death” and “many more will suffer and die from disease.”

He urged an immediate injection of funds for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria plus safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid “to avert a catastrophe.”

“To be precise,” O’Brien said, “we need $4.4 billion by July.”

Without a major infusion of money, he said, children will be stunted by severe malnutrition and won’t be able to go to school, gains in economic development will be reversed and “livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost.”

U.N. and food organizations define famine as when more than 30 percent of children under age 5 suffer from acute malnutrition and mortality rates are two or more deaths per 10,000 people every day, among other criteria.

“Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations,” O’Brien said. “Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine.”

O’Brien said the largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen where two-thirds of the population — 18.8 million people — need aid and more than seven million people are hungry and don’t know where their next meal will come from. “That is three million people more than in January,” he said.

The Arab world’s poorest nation is engulfed in conflict and O’Brien said more than 48,000 people fled fighting just in the past two months.

During his recent visit to Yemen, O’Brien said he met senior leaders of the government and the Shiite Houthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa, and all promised access for aid.

“Yet all parties to the conflict are arbitrarily denying sustained humanitarian access and politicize aid,” he said, warning if that behavior doesn’t change now “they must be held accountable for the inevitable famine, unnecessary deaths and associated amplification in suffering that will follow.”

For 2017, O’Brien said $2.1 billion is needed to reach 12 million Yemenis “with life-saving assistance and protection” but only 6 percent has been received so far. He announced that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will chair a pledging conference for Yemen on April 25 in Geneva.

The U.N. humanitarian chief also visited South Sudan, the world’s newest nation which has been ravaged by a three-year civil war, and said “the situation is worse than it has ever been.”

“The famine in South Sudan is man-made,” he said. “Parties to the conflict are parties to the famine — as are those not intervening to make the violence stop.”

O’Brien said more than 7.5 million people need aid, up by 1.4 million from last year, and about 3.4 million South Sudanese are displaced by fighting including almost 200,000 who have fled the country since January.

“More than one million children are estimated to be acutely malnourished across the country, including 270,000 children who face the imminent risk of death should they not be reached in time with assistance,” he said. “Meanwhile, the cholera outbreak that began in June 2016 has spread to more locations.”

In Somalia, which O’Brien also visited, more than half the population — 6.2 million people — need humanitarian assistance and protection, including 2.9 million who are at risk of famine and require immediate help “to save or sustain their lives.”

He warned that close to one million children under the age of five will be “acutely malnourished” this year.

“What I saw and heard during my visit to Somalia was distressing — women and children walk for weeks in search of food and water. They have lost their livestock, water sources have dried up and they have nothing left to survive on,” O’Brien said. “With everything lost, women, boys, girls and men now move to urban centers.”

The humanitarian chief said current indicators mirror “the tragic picture of 2011 when Somalia last suffered a famine.” But he said the U.N.’s humanitarian partners have a larger footprint, better controls on resources, and a stronger partnership with the new government which recently declared the drought a national disaster.

“To be clear, we can avert a famine,” O’Brien said. “We’re ready despite incredible risk and danger … but we need those huge funds now.”

In northeast Nigeria, a seven-year uprising by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and driven 2.6 million from their homes. A U.N. humanitarian coordinator said last month that malnutrition in the northeast is so pronounced that some adults are too weak to walk and some communities have lost all their toddlers.

EU provides P156 million to victims of humanitarian crises in PH

Gov’t girds for possible humanitarian crisis in South</s>UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. humanitarian chief says the world faces the largest humanitarian crisis since 1945 with more than 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine.

Stephen O'Brien told the U.N. Security Council on Friday that "without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death" and "many more will suffer and die from disease."

He urged an immediate injection of funds for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeastern Nigeria.

O'Brien said the largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen where two-thirds of the population - 18.8 million people - need aid and more than seven million don't know where their next meal will come from. He said that's three million more chronically hungry people than in January.</s>UN says world faces worst humanitarian crisis since 1945 with tens of millions starving

The world is facing the largest humanitarian crisis since 1945, with more than 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine, the United Nations humanitarian chief says.

Stephen O'Brien told the UN Security Council on Friday that "without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death" and "many more will suffer and die from disease".

He urged an immediate injection of funds for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria plus safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid "to avert a catastrophe", describing the current situation as a "critical point" in history.

"To be precise," Mr O'Brien said, "we need $US4.4 billion by July".

Without a major infusion of money, he said, children will be stunted by severe malnutrition and will not be able to go to school, gains in economic development will be reversed and "livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost".

UN and food organisations define famine as when more than 30 percent of children younger than five suffer from acute malnutrition, and when mortality rates are two or more deaths per 10,000 people every day, among other criteria.

"Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine."

Mr O'Brien said the largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen where two-thirds of the population — some 18.8 million people — need urgent food aid.

"That is 3 million people more than in January," he said.

The Arab world's poorest nation is engulfed in conflict and Mr O'Brien said more than 48,000 people fled fighting just in the past two months.

During his recent visit to Yemen, Mr O'Brien said he met senior leaders of the Government and the Shiite Houthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa, and all promised access for aid.

"Yet all parties to the conflict are arbitrarily denying sustained humanitarian access and politicise aid," he said.

Mr O'Brien warned that if behaviour doesn't change now, those parties "must be held accountable for the inevitable famine, unnecessary deaths and associated amplification in suffering that will follow."

The UN humanitarian chief also visited South Sudan, the world's newest nation which has been ravaged by a three-year civil war, and said "the situation is worse than it has ever been".

"The famine in South Sudan is man-made," he said.

"Parties to the conflict are parties to the famine as are those not intervening to make the violence stop."

Mr O'Brien said more than 7.5 million people need aid, up by 1.4 million from last year, and about 3.4 million South Sudanese were displaced by fighting including almost 200,000 who have fled the country since January.

"More than 1 million children are estimated to be acutely malnourished across the country, including 270,000 children who face the imminent risk of death should they not be reached in time with assistance," he said.

"Meanwhile, the cholera outbreak that began in June 2016 has spread to more locations."

In Somalia, which Mr O'Brien also visited, more than half the population of 6.2 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection, including 2.9 million who are at risk of famine and require immediate help "to save or sustain their lives".

He warned that close to 1 million children under the age of five will be "acutely malnourished" this year.

In north-east Nigeria, a seven-year uprising by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and driven 2.6 million from their homes.

A UN humanitarian coordinator said last month that malnutrition in the north-east is so pronounced that some adults are too weak to walk and some communities have lost all their toddlers.</s>The United Nations humanitarian chief has warned the world is facing the largest humanitarian crisis since 1945 with more than 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine.

Stephen O'Brien told the UN Security Council on Friday that "without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death" and "many more will suffer and die from disease".

He urged an immediate injection of funds for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and north-eastern Nigeria.

Mr O'Brien said the largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen where two-thirds of the population - 18.8 million people - need aid and more than seven million do not know where their next meal will come from. He said that is three million more chronically hungry people than in January.

A mother feeds her child at an aid centre in Somalia.</s>THE world faces the largest humanitarian crisis since the United Nations was founded in 1945, the UN’s humanitarian chief has warned.

Stephen O’Brien told the UN Security Council that over 20 million people in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria are facing starvation and famine.

He said that “without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death” and “many more will suffer and die from disease”.

He urged an immediate injection of funds for the four countries plus safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid “to avert a catastrophe”.

“To be precise, we need $4.4bn (£3.6bn) by July,” said Mr O’Brien.

Without the money, he said, children will be stunted by severe malnutrition, gains in economic development will be reversed and “livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost”.

UN and food organisations define famine as when more than 30% of children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition and mortality rates are two or more deaths per 10,000 people every day, among other criteria.

Mr O’Brien said the largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen where two-thirds of the population – 18.8 million people – need aid and more than seven million people are hungry.

The Arab world’s poorest nation is engulfed in conflict and the UN says more than 48,000 people have fled fighting just in the past two months.

South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, has been ravaged by a three-year civil war and more then 7.5 million people are in need aid.

“The famine in South Sudan is man-made,” said Mr O’Brien. “Parties to the conflict are parties to the famine – as are those not intervening to make the violence stop.”

In Somalia more than half the population – 6.2 million people – need humanitarian assistance, including 2.9 million who are at risk of famine and require immediate help “to save or sustain their lives”.

“What I saw and heard during my visit to Somalia was distressing – women and children walk for weeks in search of food and water. They have lost their livestock, water sources have dried up and they have nothing left to survive on,” Mr O’Brien said.

In northeast Nigeria, a seven-year uprising by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has killed over 20,000 people and driven 2.6 million from their homes.

A UN humanitarian coordinator said that malnutrition in the northeast is so pronounced that some adults are too weak to walk and some communities have lost all their toddlers. news.sky.com</s>The United Nations says the world is facing its largest humanitarian crisis since 72 years, issuing a plea to avoid “a catastrophe”.

UN Humanitarian Chief, Stephen O’Brien, said at least 20 million people faced threat of famine and starvation in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria.

Mr O’Brien noted that $4.4 billion was needed by July to avert the disaster.

“We stand at a critical point in history; already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations.

“Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine.

“Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death,” the Humanitarian Chief told the UN Security Council on Friday.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had warned that about 1.4 million children could starve to death in 2017.
Stephen O'Brien, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, reports that the world is experiencing its most severe humanitarian crisis since World War II, with over 20 million people suffering from severe lack of food security in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, and Northeast Nigeria.