More than 20 million people in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Nigeria are suffering from malnutrition, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres informed at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York.

He noted that famine is already a reality in parts of South Sudan, and added that unless the global community acts now, it is only a matter of time until it affects other areas.

“We are already facing a tragedy; we must avoid it becoming a catastrophe,” said Guterres, according to the United Nations Radio. “This is preventable if the international community takes decisive action.”