ISLAMABAD:The United Nations (UN) has warned that some 22 countries, including Pakistan, will see an increase in acute food insecurity over the next six months.

A new early warning report issued by World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) calls for urgent attention to save both lives and livelihoods, according to a Radio Pakistan’s report.

The report identified 18 hotspots with Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen placed at the highest alert level and Haiti, Burkina Faso, Mali and Sudan elevated to the highest concern levels.

Pakistan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and Myanmar were described as hotspots of very high concern.