The UN announced on Thursday that it has released $100 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to help millions of hungry people in South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen.

Millions of people in these seven countries cannot feed themselves and their families due to armed conflict, drought and economic turmoil compounded by COVID-19.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also said the side effects of the war in Ukraine threaten to drive millions even closer to starvation.

OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told VOA that Yemen, South Sudan and Somalia are already in what the United Nations calls a Phase 5 emergency – catastrophic hunger or famine.

“Other countries – Nigeria, Sudan and Kenya for example – Ethiopia as well – we have millions of people who are just one step away from this catastrophic phase,” he said. “And we have to avoid them getting into that phase because that’s where people are literally starving and dying of disease on our watch. If we’re going to avoid this, we have to act now.

Ukraine and Russia are known as the “breadbasket of the world”, supplying almost a third of the world’s wheat and barley exports. The World Food Program has said the war in Ukraine will increase world hunger.

He said the conflict was disrupting food and energy markets and pushing food prices beyond the reach of consumers.

The United Nations issued appeals months ago for each of the seven countries for a global total of $43 billion. Laerke said only 6.5% of that amount was funded. He said the UN knows that the $100 million it has made available for emergency relief will not solve the problems facing these countries.

“But it fills a hole. It covers a void that is immediate, urgent and absolutely necessary if we are to save lives in these countries,” he said. “And that is the function of the Central Emergency Response Fund. It’s kind of a provider of last resort.

Laerke added that UN agencies hope donors will understand the situation facing these countries and support their humanitarian operations. Otherwise, he said, drastic cuts will have to be made in critical projects.