EU appeals for urgent humanitarian aid to countries affected by acute food crisis

As Russian forces continue to strike its neighbouring country, Ukraine, European Union Foreign Affairs Council, on Tuesday, approved a proposal of injecting more funds to dress humanitarian crisis in war-ravaged nation. council noted war created global food insecurity as Russian forces seized major port city, Mariupol. During meeting, officials agreed to disburse ditional funds to vulnerable countries which have been facing burnt of Russia tailored food crisis.
It noted that acute hunger, malnutrition and risk of famine, are caused predominantly by poverty, but, conflicts, political instability, socioeconomic conditions, natural hazards and climate change have turned situation worst.

According to council, Russian aggression against Ukraine has led to a significant drop in food, animal feed and fertiliser availability, significant price increases for food, energy and fertilisers, and has aggravated global food insecurity. "This is having dramatic consequences not only for Ukrainian people but also for many vulnerable populations around globe," said EU Foreign Affairs Council in a statement on Tuesday. "In face of se challenges, EU will remain a responsive, responsible and reliable global actor," it ded.

EU refutes Russia's claims 

Meanwhile, due to unprecedented food crisis, Council emphasised urgency of delivering a swift and comprehensive global response to protect lives, human rights and livelihoods of persons in most vulnerable situations. As Moscow, on several occasions cited EU-backed sanctions as main driving force behind soaring food prices, Union refuted claims and said, "re are no sanctions on Russian exports of food to global markets." It said EU sanctions are targeted in particular at Russian government, Russia’s economy and financial system, military and Russian elites including economic actors responsible for or supporting destabilisation of Ukraine.

Moreover, Council called for a robust, effective and formation of transparent response team to dress global food insecurity.  council said team will focus on following four strands of action: 

• Solidarity through emergency relief and support for affordability.
• Boosting sustainable production, resilience and food systems transformation.
• Facilitating tre by helping Ukraine export agricultural goods via different land routes and EU ports and by promoting open global tre in food and fertilisers.
• Effective multilateralism. 

20 million people along Horn of Africa are facing severe hunger, says WFP

Notably, earlier this month, World Food Programme said up to 20 million people along Horn of Africa are facing severe hunger. Though WFP noted condition was not good even before Russian President Vlimir Putin initiated a brutal war against Ukraine, situation has worsened furr as major port that supplies agricultural production to whole world remained blocked by Russian troops. According to WFP report, in Somalia, an eastern African country, about 40% of population (nearly 60 lakh) has been suffering from extreme levels of hunger.

Image: @WFP/Twitter