Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is worsening food insecurity. [fr]

I thank Martin Griffiths, David Beasley and Maximo Torero for their presentations.

The year 2022 will mark a dark record in terms of the number of food insecure people, due to conflict, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and due to climate change.

In countries that depend on imports for their food needs, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is having dramatic consequences. The figures show that this war is increasing food insecurity and contributing to the risk of famine in the world. In 2022 and 2023, up to 13 million more people could face starvation as a result of this war alone.

Let’s be clear: it is the war that is exacerbating global food insecurity and malnutrition, as the FAO Council recognized last April. No sanctions are aimed at the food sector: on the contrary, we are fighting to ensure that agricultural products never become a weapon of war to serve ideological goals.

Only a multilateral, coordinated and inclusive approach will make it possible to counter the risk of famine and prevent the disastrous effects of the Russian-led war in Ukraine.

France fully supports the initiative launched by the Secretary General through the United Nations Group in response to the global crisis on food, energy and finance. It recalls the common responsibility of international partners to ensure that the most exposed countries continue to receive the food they need. In this regard, it is essential that the agreements reached in Istanbul on 22 July continue to be implemented so that cereals reach those in need via the Black Sea as a matter of urgency. It is also imperative that this mechanism be extended beyond its initial 4-month duration.
The solidarity corridors set up by the European Union have also enabled more than 10 million tons of cereals to leave Ukraine since last March, thus helping to bring down prices and avoid an anticipation crisis.

It is in the same spirit that France, together with the European Union, has launched the FARM (Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission) initiative, which is part of the Secretary General’s efforts and in coordination with other international initiatives. FARM aims to support the countries most affected by the global food crisis by improving transparency in agricultural markets, promoting fair access to food and agricultural products at reasonable prices and strengthening sustainable local production to reduce dependency. The first results of this roadmap are the result of an international cooperation effort. On the one hand, through the WFP, which has set up a specific solidarity mechanism to guarantee supplies at an affordable price. And on the other hand, thanks to the commitment of IFAD, which will host a secretariat aimed at federating donors around high-impact projects for food security and nutrition. We call on all actors to contribute to these international efforts.

France is mobilizing by increasing its financial contribution for food security and nutrition, which should rise to 706 million euros this year. It is also doing so through its contributions to international organizations, by supporting projects led by civil society and via the operations of the French Development Agency. The doubling of France’s financial support to the World Food Program this year, as well as the funding of the secretariat established by IFAD, which I mentioned earlier, testify to our commitment and our desire for solidarity with countries in vulnerable situations.

Preventing famine and food crises also implies that all parties to conflicts respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. Resolutions 2417 and 2573 must be fully implemented. The protection of civilians, the protection of civilian infrastructure is an absolute imperative. Humanitarian access must be guaranteed.
In the longer term, the response to food insecurity must necessarily involve the transformation towards sustainable and resilient food systems to respond to the effects of climate change, to respond to the erosion of biodiversity and to the challenge of human population growth. Mobilization of donors to this end is essential.
Also, while conflict remains the primary driver of food crises, we need to increase efforts to find sustainable political solutions to conflicts.

And you can count on France’s unwavering and continuous support.
Thank you.