UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at an international conference on food security on Friday that the world is facing the "real risks" of multiple famines this year, in 2023. He said it could get worse.
"The war in Ukraine has exacerbated the problems that have been brewed for years. COVID-19 Pandemic; Guteres at the World Food Security Ministers' Meeting in Berlin
He said rising prices of fuel and fertilizer had a dramatic impact on farmers around the world.
"Rice All harvests, including and corn, will be hit and affect billions of people in Asia, Africa and the Americas, "said Guteres. "This year's food access problems could lead to global food shortages next year."
He warned that no country would be socially and economically unaffected.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 disrupted availability and supply chains. According to the United Nations, more than 36 countries receive more than half of their grain supply from the Black Sea region.
In addition to destroying and stealing some of the Ukrainian grain, Russian troops have blocked Odesa, the country's main southern port, and exported over 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain. Was blocked. The Kremlin also curtailed some of its own grain and fertilizer production from the global market, claiming that Western sanctions were hampering their exports.
"Nothing, nothing prevents food and fertilizer from leaving Russia," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said of the sanctions. "And only one country is blocking food and fertilizer from leaving Ukraine, it is Russia."
Japan's Foreign Minister said that Russia's own statistics show that wheat exports in May this year have doubled from last year.
"Nevertheless, Russia is spreading disinformation on the contrary," said Yoshimasa Hayashi.
Closing the blockade
Guterres has engaged in fierce civil diplomacy between Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey. Turkey may soon host grain negotiations between the parties to the war. And the main actors are the United States and the European Union. His goal is a package transaction where Ukraine exports grain not only by land but also through the Black Sea, bringing Russian food and fertilizer to the global market.
Opening Odesa's port and allowing it to function safely again is a top priority.
"We must now open the port of Odesa," World Food Program chief David Beasley told the conference. "What we didn't do was declare war on global food security. It's very easy."
Grains in silos must be exported before they begin to rot. You also need to move to give way to the next grain harvest starting in September.
Meanwhile, neighboring Romania is stepping up to help Kyiv get rid of the grain.
"We receive Ukrainian grain on roads, railroads, seas, and the Donau River," Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Auresk told the conference. "Since the invasion began, Romania's Black Sea Constanta port, the largest port in the Black Sea, has become the main gateway to grain transport to the outside world of Ukraine."
He said Romania is working to make Constanta a European food hub and increase its processing capacity. In 2021, he stated that more than 25 million tons of grain were exported through Constanta.
The African Continent has been hit hard by the shortage of grains and fertilizers. Many of these countries receive large quantities of these imports from the Black Sea region.
"My country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has raised VAT on basic foods and subsidized products such as fuels to avoid riots as a result of general price increases. It had to be paid, "said Planning Minister Christian Mwand Nsimba Kabro. "Of course, this has a huge impact on my country's national budget, which makes efforts for greater resilience more difficult."
"Actions in the war in Ukraine and [ There is a straight line between the suffering seen in the southern part of the world, "said Martin Griffiths, United Nations Humanitarian Director.
As members of the world's largest economies meet in Germany for the G7 Summit, announcements of action and support for the most vulnerable countries are expected in the coming days.
