UN warns of deepening humanitarian crisis in Madagascar

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Madagascar is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, mainly in the regions of Grand Sud and Grand Sud-Est, which have been hit by a series of droughts, cyclones and other shocks this year and last, a UN spokesperson said Tuesday.

The lingering impact of the recent El Nino drought and cyclone season, combined with a malaria outbreak and strained health systems, has left many communities in the country with little ability to recover, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told a daily briefing, citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"As a result, Madagascar's hunger crisis is intensifying," said the spokesperson, adding that the number of people facing emergency food insecurity in the Grand Sud region is expected to quadruple to 110,000 by January 2026.

In addition, cases of severe acute malnutrition in the Grand Sud have surged in the past year, affecting nearly 160,000 children, he said.

However, severe funding cuts have crippled humanitarian operations, forcing UN partners, especially in areas of acute humanitarian need, to shut down their activities and leave thousands of people without vital aid, he said.

Haq noted that Madagascar's National Office for Risk and Disaster Management, with support from the United Nations and its partners, has instituted a national humanitarian response plan which calls for nearly 185 million U.S. dollars to address food insecurity, malnutrition and disease outbreaks through April 2026.

With the plan currently facing a 125-million-dollar funding gap, the United Nations appeals for 85 million dollars to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs of 1.5 million people in the country, he added. ■