349 million people face food insecurity: EU, G7, and sanctions on Russia

349 million people face food insecurity: EU, G7, and sanctions on Russia

Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker

Lee Jay Walker

The World Food Programme (WFP) says an astonishing 349 million people face food insecurity. Hence, G7 nations and the European Union (EU) need to address the role they are playing in this concerning the ongoing sanctions on the Russian Federation – irrespective if they continue to support Ukraine militarily in the ongoing conflict.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) economic convulsions were still being felt when the EU and G7 nations imposed sanctions on the Russian Federation. However, this led to a spike in prices concerning energy, food, fertilizer costs, and other important areas that were felt stronger in nations blighted by poverty and other ills.

The WFP reports, “New estimates from the 79 countries where WFP has an operational presence, and where data is available, show the number of acutely food-insecure people will hit a record high of 349 million in 2022. This is an increase of about 200 million people compared to pre-pandemic levels.”

Children are also increasingly suffering. The WFP says approximately 60 million children – under five years of age – face malnourishment. These children are at a higher risk of death and long-term health impairments that will hinder their health in the future.

The WFP continues, “Up to 49 million people across 49 countries are in Emergency or worse levels of acute food insecurity. Without urgent life-saving action, these populations will be at risk of falling into famine-like conditions.”

Voice of America reports, “The United Nations says high food prices in 2022 led to a crisis of affordability that has pushed millions more people into hunger.”

The world is on top of itself. For example, you have refugee camps near places where people go on holiday. Also, the recent World Cup cost vast sums, while children in Yemen are dying from out-of-date cancer drugs. Therefore, if food banks are increasing in the United Kingdom concerning the convulsions of the coronavirus and sanctions on the Russian Federation: one can only imagine the consequences on the Sahel region to Somalia and other parts of the world blighted by rampant poverty.

Internationally, especially in poorer nations, the economic coronavirus convulsions were already impacting enormously. Hence, sanctions on the Russian Federation – irrespective of the EU and G7 continuing to support Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid – are creating horrendous consequences which need to be addressed immediately.

https://www.wfp.org/publications/wfp-global-operational-response-plan-update-6-november-2022

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