The United Nations’s (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that food price rises caused by the Russia-Ukraine war could trigger hunger, famine and malnutrition in some parts of the world.
Speaking at a press conference at the UN office in Geneva, WFP Emergency Coordinator Jakob Kern and UN Special Rapporteur Michael Fakhri discussed the latest situation in Ukraine.
Stressing that Russia and Ukraine are among the 5 largest grain exporters in the world, Fakhri said, “Global food security is at risk as global agricultural trade with these countries reaches US$1.8 trillion.”
“I am concerned about the long-term disruption in supply due to the start of the planting season in Russia and Ukraine,” Fakhri said, noting that the negative effects of the food price increase caused by the Russia-Ukraine war are being felt in Egypt, Turkey, Bangladesh, Iran, Lebanon, Tunisia, Yemen and Pakistan, which make more than 60 percent of wheat imports from these countries.
Warning that war could also increase hunger and famine in countries such as Yemen and Afghanistan, where the humanitarian crisis is taking place, Fakhri said, “Military attacks against Ukraine must stop before serious long-term consequences for global food security emerge.”
The World Food Programme supplies about half of its wheat supplies from Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the WFP announced that the food supply chain is about to collapse in Ukraine, where Russian attacks are underway.
“Many shops and warehouses remained empty due to the destruction of some infrastructure,” Kern said, expressing concern about the humanitarian situation in besieged cities such as Mariupol in Ukraine.
Stressing that humanitarian and food supply convoys could not reach the surrounding cities, Kern shared that “the food supply chain in Ukraine is at the point of collapse”.
Fakhri also expressed concern that the Russian people will suffer economically due to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia.
