Rakhine State in the west of Myanmar shares an international border with Bangladesh and with the national states of Chin, Magway, Bago and Ayeyarwady. The state covers 36,778 km2 and consists of 17 townships and Sittwe is the capital city of Rakhine. The state population is estimated at 3.39 million (2023 UNFPA Projections), with a density of 92 people per square kilometre.

Rakhine State was mired in challenges such as ethnic and religious tensions and political instability even before Feb 2021. The situation worsened in 2017 when the brutal crackdown on the Rohingya caused the mass displacement of over 700,000 Rohingya refugees. After Feb 2021, the state experienced a period of relative stability, but the conflict escalated after Nov 2023 when the ceasefire ended (ACAPS, Nov 2024). Since then, conflict and related issues have caused restrictions on goods entering Rakhine, both internationally and domestically. This has led to a severe lack of income, hyperinflation, and significantly reduced domestic food production (UNDP, Nov 2024). Since late 2024, UN agencies have been urgently warning of an imminent famine, with over 2 million people at risk of starvation (WFP, Aug 2025).