Halting agricultural production in Ukraine and Russia due to the war will hit “the poorest the hardest and sow seeds of political instability and unrest around the world,” Guterres warned reporters in New York.
“This war affects much more than Ukraine,” he said.
“Grain prices have already exceeded those of the early Arab spring and food riots of 2007-2008 yehe world food price index of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) “is at its highest level ever recorded,” he added.
Guterres stressed that “everything possible must be done to prevent a hurricane of famine and the collapse of the global food system.”
Russia and Ukraine are considered “the breadbaskets” of the world.
“In total, 45 African and least developed countries import at least a third of their wheat from Ukraine or Russia; 18 of them import at least 50%. This includes countries like Burkina Faso, Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen,” listed Guterres, who once again called for an end to hostilities, the AFP news agency reported.
Meanwhile, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths announced the release of $40 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for Ukraine.
The war already leaves more than 2 million displaced, “but many cannot leave their homes due to intense fighting in cities such as Mariupol, Kharkov and kyiv,” he said in a statement.
“In the face of this grim, worsening crisis, we are mobilizing a massive relief effort,” Griffiths added.
Finally, he argued that these 40 million dollars “are essential to start operations” and that “fast and flexible financing can make a difference.”
Source: Ambito
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