UN chief attacks Russia for sparking worst humanitarian crisis since Second World War : worldnews

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Millions ‘marching to starvation’ as Putin unleashes global food catastrophe UN chief attacks Russia for sparking worst humanitarian crisis since Second World War

By Tim Wallace ; Louis Ashworth ; Tom Rees IN DAVOS and James Warrington 23 May 2022 • 6:56pm farmer ukraine Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had severe consequences for grain export CREDIT: John Moore /Getty Images Europe Hundreds of millions of people are “marching to starvation” after Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine unleashed the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War, the head of the UN’s World Food Programme has warned.

David Beasley condemned Russia for “a declaration of war on global food security” after it blocked Ukrainian grain exports, and said that 325m people are at risk of going hungry as a result. Around 43m most in danger are already “knocking on starvation’s door”, he said.

Ukraine is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of wheat, fourth-largest exporter of corn and top exporter of sunflower oil, with most of its crop going to poor countries in the developing world.

Mr Putin has prevented shipments from leaving Ukrainian ports, while Western officials say his army has deliberately destroyed agricultural equipment and harvest stores.

Speaking to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Beasley described the impending disaster as “the worst humanitarian crisis since World War Two”, with a massive wave of migration into Europe likely to follow as hunger rises.

He said: “What do you think is going to happen when you take a nation that normally grows enough food to feed 400m people and you sideline that?

“You add fuel costs, food costs, shipping costs – it is devastating.”

Meanwhile David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy, said 1.7bn people across 94 countries are at risk of severe hunger as food prices surge.

He said: “This cost-of-living crisis could lead to the worst set of economic and social challenges we’ve seen in four or five decades.”

A local man reacts near his destroyed tractor on a farm in the village of Mala Rohan, near Kharkiv, Ukraine Western officials say Putin’s army has deliberately destroyed agricultural equipment CREDIT: SERGEY KOZLOV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s President, said the country is in talks over establishing food corridors to export its grain and accused Russia of stealing thousands of tonnes of grain.

Mr Zelensky told the global elite in Davos that he had held discussions with several countries about setting up export routes for wheat, grain and sunflower seeds.

He said Baltic sea ports could be used to transport the crucial food supplies.

Railway transport was another option, he said via video link, with talks progressing with its “friendly neighbours” over access to ports.

“We are talking about how to use their facilities, their seaports on the Baltic,” he said, adding “there is no single one-size-fits-all solution”.

Yulia Svyrydenko, the country’s economy minister and deputy prime minister, urged the West to help establish a “safe passage” to allow almost 25m tons of grain to leave the country and ease global supply fears after the Kremlin destroyed agricultural equipment and blocked vital export routes.

Speaking to the BBC, she said: “We need the assistance of our international partners, to secure our exports through the sea ports.”

Russia’s own food exports have also plunged, adding to the chaos in world markets and the shortages particularly biting in poor countries.

So far this year Russia’s grain exports are down 20pc, according to Interfax, at 38.5m tons.

World wheat production and export shares Global wheat prices are up almost 60pc so far this year, representing a threat to food supplies globally.

Germany’s economy minister Robert Habeck also warned of a brewing global food “catastrophe” and accused the Kremlin of weaponising supplies.

He said: “The task here at Davos is for us to recognise that hunger is being used as a weapon.”

Christine Lagarde warned soaring food and energy prices act like a “tax” on hard-pressed families in the eurozone.

The President of the European Central Bank said rampant inflation caused by imported costs effectively shrinks the economy, slashing households’ earning power and sending money to food and energy exporters.

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the international Monetary Fund, said “the anxiety around access to food at a reasonable price globally is hitting the roof”.

Separately in a blog posted on the organisation’s website, she warned of a “confluence of calamities” shattering global supply chains, with the situation at risk of being made worse by Governments blocking trade in the name of food or energy security.

Ms Georgieva said: “Since the war in Ukraine started, our monitoring indicates that around 30 countries have restricted trade in food, energy, and other key commodities.

“The costs of further disintegration would be enormous across countries. people at every income level would be hurt – from highly-paid professionals and middle-income factory workers who export, to low-paid workers who depend on food imports to survive.

“More people will embark on perilous journeys to seek opportunity elsewhere.”