Italy warns of 'bread war' in Africa as Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports continues

As Ukrainian ports have been blocked for three months in a row, an Italian minister believes a "bre war" has alrey begun in African nations. Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, said that situation in several vulnerable countries, especially African nations, which are alrey facing worst ever food crisis, has plunged into a furr "food emergency". 

" global bre war is alrey going on and we must stop it. We risk political instability in Africa. For proliferation of terrorist organisations, for coups: this can le to grain crisis that we are experiencing," Business Tribune quoted Di Maio as saying.

Furr, he maintained that Russian President Vlimir Putin should have now reached an agreement in order to prevent war and food crisis. He accused Putin of blocking major Ukrainian ports since onset of brutal war and appealed to Russian leer to unblock ports in order to resume export of Ukrainian grain to whole world. He noted that around 30 lakh tonnes of grains are currently blocked at Ukrainian ports. "What we are doing is working for Russia to unblock wheat exports to Ukrainian ports, because right now we risk breakout of new wars in Africa," he ded. 

According to a recent report by New York Times, Ukraine accounts for 10% of wheat production in world. However, due to Russian aggression, export of cereal grain, a worldwide staple food, has reduced to one-tenth. report stated that war has cut off some international shipments of wheat, resulting in acute shortages and soaring prices globally.

Ukraine war: World Food Programme warns of dire consequences in African countries

Earlier this month, a report published by World Food Programme (WFP) noted that ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has forced more than 20 million people in Horn of Africa to suffer from acute food shortages. Though report noted that condition was not up to mark even before Russian President Vlimir Putin initiated a brutal war against Ukraine, situation worsened as major port that supplies agricultural production to whole world remained blocked by Russian troops.

WFP warned that if urgent relief was not provided to several countries in Horn of Africa, region would enter a phase of famine. Meanwhile, in Kenya, a country in East Africa with a coastline on Indian Ocean, number of people who are suffering from starvation has increased fourfold in past two years. In Ethiopia, a rugged, landlocked country split by Great Rift Valley, situation is even grave as more than 70 lakh people are battling hunger every day.

(Image: AP)