The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said it has encountered a funding shortfall in meeting the needs of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and communities in Ethiopia. The WFP, in its latest Ethiopia country brief issued late Thursday, said it is facing a funding shortfall of 420 million U.S. dollars to support its humanitarian activities in Ethiopia until the end of the year. “Reports from WFP’s conflict sensitivity assessment indicate that the food security situation is worsening in many areas of the country,” the WFP said. According to the WFP, Ethiopia has faced conflict, displacement and drought over the past few years, eventually resulting in growing food insecurity. The WFP said its net funding requirement of 410 million from July to December 2023 also includes 7 million U.S. dollars to support Sudan refugee response for the next six months.