"2023 could be even worse"
The problems of the global food crisis were discussed at a conference in Berlin and the BRICS summit.In Berlin, the main blame for the increase in world prices and a possible deficit was placed on RUSSIA
What was said in Berlin about the role of Russia in the crisis
On Friday, a ministerial conference "Uniting for Global Food Security" was held in Berlin. According to the World Food Program, over the past two years, the number of people in the world experiencing acute food insecurity has more than doubled and reached 276 million people, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his video message to the conference participants. “There is a real risk that famine will be declared in many places in 2022. And 2023 could be even worse,” he warned.
During the conference, Western foreign ministers again accused Russia of involvement in the impending food crisis. Thus, German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock during her opening remarks said that Russia's launch of a military special operation in Ukraine increased the negative effects of climate disasters and the CORONAVIRUS pandemic, and had a negative impact on the food situation in the world.
“Russia is using hunger as a weapon and trying to shift the blame to others by playing the cynical game of lies. However, the facts speak plainly: it is not the sanctions that are to blame for the food crisis,” Burbock said.
She acknowledged that sanctions can have an indirect impact, in particular if companies or banks are unable to conduct monetary transactions, despite their legality, due to precautionary measures. The European Union, according to the German minister, is working to legally clarify such situations. Burbock stressed that such a side effect of sanctions is insignificant compared to the impact that Russia has on the food market through a naval blockade of Ukrainian ports.
Grain stuck in Ukrainian ports accounts for less than 1% of the grain turnover on the international market, Oleg Kobyakov, DIRECTOR of the FAO office for relations with Russia, said on June 9.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna added that the problem also lies in the fact that Russia destroyed the infrastructure for storing and supplying grain during the conflict, and “due to the blockade of ports, new harm is expected.” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken cited the story of a teacher in Kenya who made sure that water for the children was brought to the school every day from a river 7 km from the school. “Now it has become impossible because of the war in Ukraine, which has tripled food prices,” he said. According to Blinken, in order to solve this problem, it is necessary not only to work on the provision of humanitarian assistance, but also to improve the process of production and distribution of products.
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South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor began her speech by pointing out the need to resolve the military conflict, which, she said, is understood in Africa. The representative of South Africa is sure that the parties need to sit down at the negotiating table, no matter how difficult it may be. She elaborated on the problems that the country faced during the coronavirus pandemic, how they undermined the food security of South Africa. Pandor stressed that international military conflicts affect the food security of the world, and in order to overcome them, it is necessary to engage in diplomatic efforts.
How Russia responded at the BRICS video summit
Almost simultaneously with the meeting in Berlin, food issues were discussed in video mode at the BRICS summit. On Friday, June 24, in addition to the main participants (Brazil, Russia, India, CHINA , South Africa), invited countries took part in it. President Vladimir Putintold the participants that Russia was not to blame for the rise in food prices or the disruption of supply chains. These are Western countries, according to him, destabilizing the global production of agricultural products, imposing restrictions on the supply of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers, and hindering the EXPORT of Russian grain to world markets. At the same time, a good grain harvest is planned in Russia. “Of the 37 million tons that we supply to the world market this year, we will most likely be able to supply 50 million tons of grain to world markets,” he added. Nevertheless, Putin noted, it is becoming more difficult to insure transport transporting grain, dry cargo, making bank payments under trade contracts, and so on.
Food prices are already high due to COVID-related supply chain disruptions and reduced crop yields due to last year's drought, according to the UN food program, so the Russian operation came at an inopportune moment for global food markets. According to the organization, Russia and Ukraine account for 12% of total calories sold. As the conflict continues, there is a growing possibility that food shortages, especially grains and vegetable oils, will become severe, leading more countries to resort to trade restrictions, the organization says.
As follows from the data published by the UN Food Program of the International Food Research Institute, since February 24, the number of countries that have introduced restrictions on food exports has increased from 3 to 16 (as of April). And the total volume of exports affected by various types of restrictions reached 17% of all calories traded in the world. Including 16 countries have introduced an export ban, including Russia and Ukraine, seven countries have introduced export licenses. Ukraine has restricted exports to ensure that its population is adequately supplied during the conflict; Russia's export restrictions on wheat were introduced before February and include a floating export duty and an export quota. The two countries together account for about 35% of the DOLLAR value of all global trade in restricted goods, the institute points out.