By decision taken by Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala on 15 March, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted its humanitarian assistance funds for the first part of the year, totalling EUR 39.8 million, to people suffering from the world’s crises. This time, Finland targets humanitarian assistance to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Earlier this year, EUR 3.5 million was already granted for the acute needs of the Syrian crisis.

Prólogo

Es para mí un gran placer escribir el prólogo de la presente publicación anual de Acción contra el Hambre, publicación importante y enormemente necesaria de una organización que contribuye a luchar contra el hambre en el mundo de una manera extraordinaria.

L’insécurité alimentaire s’aggrave en Syrie et au Yémen, dans un climat de troubles civils

13 juin 2012, Rome - D'après le bulletin trimestriel de la FAO sur la production agricole et la sécurité alimentaire, les perspectives sont globalement bonnes pour la production céréalière mondiale, mais plusieurs régions devraient faire face aux conséquences des pluies insuffisantes, du climat rigoureux, des conflits armés et des déplacements de populations.

One of the most tragic aspects of global hunger crises is not that they arrive without warning, but that they occur with devastating regularity. This year’s edition of Hunger Matters exposes the myth of occasional and unpredictable hardship, and argues that an effective response to recurring crises requires a rethink in the way both humanitarian and development work is conceived and delivered.

Summary

Note: Map in 2 pages

Today half of the world's population is under threat from the forces of nature - one fifth of the earth's surface is regularly affected by earthquakes, vol-canic eruptions, floods, drought, landslides and storms. There are indications that such events are increasingly frequent. Moreover, the effects of cli-mate change are becoming evident.

The negative impacts of such natural events affect increasing numbers of people: 6.9 billion people live on our planet today and, according to UN esti-mates, this number will have

Overview of the 2007 Programme of Work

As the end of 2007 nears, the number of people the World Food Programme is seeking to support has risen to 83 million. The amount of food assistance required to assist these people is valued at US$3.4 billion. Considering resources mobilized thus far in 2007, the current level of funding falls short by some US$653 million.

Additional resources amounting to approximately US$800 million are required before the end of 2007 to ensure uninterrupted