US says war could starve 40 million people in Africa

Russia deliberately disrupts global food supply chain, says UN envoy

US Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Friday (5 Aug 2022) that the war in Ukraine would put 40 million people in sub-Saharan Africa at risk of food insecurity. Most affected area.

The US intends to provide US$150 million for the development of new humanitarian aid operations on the African continent, but the US Congress has yet to approve the funds.

African countries avoid taking sides in war. Africans “Don’t want to be pressured to pick a side” Back in the Cold War, though “Facts must be known”Linda said in a lecture at the University of Ghana. “Worldwide food prices are 23% higher than last year. Sub-Saharan Africa is hardest hit, where food accounts for 40% of household budgets.”,

“Regardless of how you feel about Russia, we all have a powerful common interest in mitigating the impact of war in Ukraine on food security.”said the messenger.

Before Russia invaded Ukraine, a major global producer of grains and vegetable oils, more than 190 million people around the world were food insecure, Linda said, in part because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Russia denies responsibility for the food crisis and blames Western sanctions for slowing its food and fertilizer exports.

The US ambassador to the UN said that Russia had taken deliberate steps to disrupt the global food supply chain and blamed the West.