Approximately 82.1 million people in East and Central Africa are currently facing food insecurity and urgently require humanitarian aid. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), over 53.1 million of those affected reside in seven of the eight IGAD member states: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

Some other countries experiencing significant food insecurity include Tanzania, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Burundi. The surge in food insecurity has been attributed to climate shocks and escalating conflicts in the region. Agencies have warned that the situation could deteriorate further in the coming months, with the ongoing La Niña phenomenon expected to continue before potentially transitioning to El Niño by May 2025.