UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Some 24 million people across the Sahel region need humanitarian assistance, a UN spokesperson said Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters at a daily briefing, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said this year's Humanitarian Needs and Response Overview warns that the crisis is deepening across Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, northern Cameroon and northeast Nigeria.

Violence continues to spread across the region, with armed groups expanding their presence across the Central Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, he said. The insecurity has displaced communities and forced the closure of schools and health facilities.

Climate shocks are further worsening the situation, Dujarric said, noting that the Sahel is warming faster than the global average. In 2025 alone, floods affected about 590,000 people, while recurring droughts and advancing desertification have damaged farmland and threatened the livelihoods of millions.

In response, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners are expanding cash-assistance programs, strengthening anticipatory action and increasing support for local organizations to help communities better cope with growing needs, he said. ■