New York (VNA) - As Myanmar marks one year since the devastating earthquake last March, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns that communities struggling to rebuild are now facing mounting hardship driven by soaring transport costs linked to the ongoing Middle East crisis.
According to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, rising fuel prices are sharply increasing the cost of transporting food and agricultural goods across the Southeast Asian country, placing additional strain on already vulnerable households.
The crisis is also striking Myanmar’s farmers as they prepare for monsoon crops. With fertiliser demand expected to rise over the next three months, fuel shortages and rising input costs are threatening to push production expenses to double last year’s levels.
These compounding shocks are expected to hit hardest in conflict- and earthquake-affected areas, such as Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Rakhine, Sagaing and Shan, worsening the food insecurity in a country where 12.4 million people, or nearly one quarter of the population, are already facing acute hunger.
WFP said it needs 150 million USD in funding for 2026 to assist 1.5 million people across the country with life-saving assistance and resilience support. Without sufficient funding, WFP will be forced to prioritise the most urgent life-saving needs, potentially scaling back recovery efforts that help earthquake survivors rebuild livelihoods and reduce long-term dependence on aid./.
Myanmar sets date for first sitting of new parliament
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