GENEVA, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The world is currently experiencing its most violent period since World War II as the escalation in the Middle East continues to have a devastating toll on civilians and livelihoods with global ripple effects, a UN official has said.

Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020 shows the outside view of the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States. (File photo: Xinhua)

"Our world is the most violent it has been since World War II. The number of people uprooted and forced to flee their homes is increasing by the hour," Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), said in a statement on Monday.

The devastating conflict in the Middle East has crossed borders, shaken the world economy amid exponential price hikes in oil, fuel and gas, he said.

He pointed out that developing countries in Asia and Africa are likely to suffer the most severe impacts, and the number of people living in hunger globally is likely to increase by tens of millions this year, he said.

He urged all parties to implement all UN Security Council resolutions and end this chaos and people's suffering through diplomatic and peaceful solutions.

UNOPS, formerly a part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was established as a separate, self-financing entity within the UN system on Jan. 1, 1995. Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, it provides project management, procurement and infrastructure services in more than 100 countries worldwide.