Twenty-three countries in sub-Saharan Africa are facing food emergencies for the summer season, according to FAO's latest Africa Report, issued on 6 July. Despite an overall decline in the region's food aid requirements, poor rains, internal conflicts, HIV/AIDS and a locust invasion have exposed millions of people to serious food insecurity and the need for emergency food assistance, the UN agency warned. Sub-Saharan Africa's food aid requirement for 2004 is estimated at 2.9 million tonnes, compared to around 4 million tonnes last year.