Threat to global food security if Ukraine conflict does not end, India's warn

United Nations: India at the United Nations has warned that if a meaningful dialogue and diplomatic negotiation to end the conflict in Ukraine is not started urgently, then it will have a disastrous effect on the global economy, derailing the efforts toward food security and eradicating starvation. Sneha Dubey, the Indian first Secretary of the United Nations, warned that the challenges in ensuring food security could not be resolved without global collective efforts. Sneha Dubey assured that India would contribute to global food security based on values of equality, compassion and social justice.

The UN Security Council had organised a high-level special event called ‘Time to act Together’ to discuss and coordinate the global food security crisis due to the Ukraine conflict. While speaking at the meeting, Indian diplomat Sneha Dubey pointed out that it is mandatory to make efforts to stop the Ukraine conflict.

Sneha Dubey said that the Covid 19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have adversely impacted the lives of ordinary people, especially in developing countries, due to spiralling energy and commodity prices along with disruption in the global logistics supply chain. This is having disastrous effects on the population of the Global South, which include people from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. In this scenario, it is mandatory to urgently start a meaningful dialogue and diplomatic negotiation to end the Ukraine conflict; otherwise, it could be disastrous for global food security.

The United Nations has set the goal of eliminating starvation by 2030. The Global South is making efforts in that direction. However, Sneha Dubey warned that the measures would be futile because of the Ukraine conflict.

The food grain prices in countries like India, which have adequate stock, have seen an unjustified rise in prices due to hoarding and speculation, which cannot be tolerated. Dubey emphasised the need for common resolve to manage sudden changes in demand in the global market. Sneha Dubey assured that India would contribute to advancing food security, upholding equality, displaying compassion, and promoting social justice. The United Nations had demanded that India does not impose restrictions on the export of wheat and other food grain. India has assured that the exports will be made only after assessing the requirements in those countries. Indian diplomats in the United States seem to have reiterated India’s stand.