Rome, March 11 (QNA) - The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that disruptions to supply chains caused by escalating military developments are imperiling food security for millions of people in the Middle East.

Samer Abdeljaber, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, told UN News today that pressures on food security are intensifying in several countries already grappling with fragile economies and protracted conflicts.

 He noted that emergency preparedness measures have been activated across multiple countries in the Middle East and North Africa in an effort to ensure continued delivery of assistance to the most vulnerable populations.

Millions of people in the region rely on food assistance to survive, while global supply chains face increasing disruption due to geopolitical tensions and impacts on critical maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, Abdeljaber emphasized.

AbdelJaber added that the food situation in the Middle East was already fragile prior to the current crisis, and that recent developments have further exacerbated it.

He cited Lebanon as an example, noting that the country has experienced waves of internal displacement in communities that have endured high levels of food insecurity for years.

Meanwhile, Iran is facing economic stagnation, rising inflation, particularly in food prices, and rapid currency depreciation, compounding the challenges for vulnerable populations.

We have had to activate the WFP emergency response system to ensure our ability to meet the needs of people we are striving to reach, whether in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Afghanistan, or other countries. We are also working to ensure that assistance reaches them in a safe and timely manner, Abdeljaber continued. (QNA)