Vital grain, fertiliser must be freed up – UN
With global hunger levels at a new high, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is in ‘‘intense contacts’’ with Russia and other key countries, hoping for an agreement to allow the export of grain stored in Ukrainian ports and ensure that Russian food and fertiliser have unrestricted access to global markets.
However, Guterres told a ministerial meeting on the escalating food security crisis, which has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, that ‘‘there is still a long way to go’’.
‘‘The complex security, economic and financial implications require goodwill on all sides for a package deal to be reached,’’ he said.
Guterres said global hunger levels were ‘‘at a new high’’, with the number of people facing severe food insecurity doubling in just two years from 135 million before the pandemic to 276 million today. He said more than 500,000 people were living in famine conditions – an increase of more than 500% since 2016.
He said Ukraine and Russia together produced almost a third of the world’s wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil, while Russia and its ally Belarus are the world’s number two and three producers of potash, a key ingredient of fertiliser.
‘‘There is no effective solution to the food crisis without reintegrating Ukraine’s food production, as well as the food and fertiliser produced by Russia and Belarus, into world markets, despite the war.’’
The conflict has closed Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, halting food exports to many developing countries. Guterres said that during his recent visit to Africa’s Sahel region, he met families who didn’t know where their next meal was coming from.
David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Programme, warned that ‘‘failure to open the ports will be a declaration of war on global food security, resulting in famine and destabilisation of nations, as well as mass migration’’.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who chaired the meeting, called by the United States, said the world was facing ‘‘the greatest global food security crisis of our time’’.
‘‘There are an estimated 22 million tonnes of grain sitting in silos in Ukraine right now, food that could immediately go toward helping those in need,’’ he said.
■ The US says it is struggling to get clarity from Turkey over the severity of its opposition to
Finland and Sweden joining Nato, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan takes an increasingly tough line against their membership bids.
Erdogan has accused Finland and Sweden of supporting Kurdish militants and others whom Turkey considers to be terrorists, and imposing restrictions on military sales to Turkey.
During a meeting with Blinken at the UN yesterday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu affirmed his country’s support for Nato’s ‘‘open-door’’ policy and its understanding of Finland and Sweden’s desire to join the alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Later, he accused Sweden of not just backing groups linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) but also providing arms to Syrian Kurdish fighters.