The Situation in the Arab Region The Arab region is more vulnerable than others because its dependence on food imports is structural, not temporary. The cost of a healthy diet in Arab countries reached USD 3.47 per person per day in 2020. More than half of the population—around 162.7 million people—could not afford it, and the share rises to nearly 88 percent in the least developed Arab states.

More recently, Egypt alone lost 30 percent of its food purchasing power between the third quarter of 2022 and the end of 2024, due to shortages of foreign currency and rising import costs. In West Asia, where most Arab countries are located, hunger has reached 12.7 percent of the population, affecting more than 39 million people—a rate higher than the global average of 8.2 percent.