Conflict and insecurity remained the key barriers to development progress in the Middle East and North Africa in 2016. In Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, about half the population—an estimated 40 million people—require humanitarian assistance. Across the region, countries depend heavily on food imports. As their populations urbanize and grow, the need for imports will increase. Peacebuilding and development efforts must address food and nutrition insecurity—important economic causes of conflict and discontent.