As the war in Ukraine continues to intensify despite global efforts to stop the Russian invasion, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the conflict in the war-torn nation will exacerbate millions of people’s misery by rising food and gasoline prices. Highlighting the condition of the Sahel in Africa, Guterres in a tweet on Saturday said that a grave food catastrophe is being driven by conflict and climatic shocks. “The people of the Sahel deserve our support. They cannot be forgotten,” he stressed.
Conflict & climate shocks are driving a deadly food crisis in the Sahel.
The war in Ukraine will worsen the suffering of millions of people by driving up food and fuel prices.
The people of the Sahel deserve our support. They cannot be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/zCXejkqy9p
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 16, 2022
It is to mention that the UN chief has been calling for an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict On Wednesday, Guterres stated that, in addition to the physical as well as economic issues posed by Ukraine’s unrelenting destruction, there are bigger consequences of conflict that are hurting every nation in some manner, as per media reports. Guterres asserted that the conflict has aggravated a global food, energy, and financial crisis, which is causing havoc on some of the world’s most vulnerable countries and economies.
As per media reports, António Guterres has also announced the release of the UN Task Force’s first report on the war’s effects on global food security, energy, and finance. Apart from Ukrainians, 1.7 billion people would be affected by food scarcity and poverty, according to the research.
323 million people may face serious food insecurity this year due to the war
On Tuesday, the UN Secretary-General emphasised that people in crisis all over the world cannot afford to pay the price for the war between Russia and Ukraine. He also encouraged all countries to maintain their markets open, oppose unjustified and unnecessary export restrictions, and give reserves to countries facing hunger.
The UN chief Guterres said in a tweet, “This is not the time for protectionism”. He also claimed that because of the Ukraine crisis, approximately 323 million people may face serious food insecurity this year. As per UN Secretary-General, the war in Ukraine is “one of the greatest challenges ever to the international order” since it has affected billions of individuals all across the globe.
People caught up in crisis around the world cannot pay the price for the war in Ukraine.
All countries must keep markets open, resist unjustified & unnecessary export restrictions & make reserves available to countries at risk of hunger.
This is not the time for protectionism. pic.twitter.com/UiiUksqDPp
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 12, 2022
Meanwhile, since the beginning of Russia’s incursion on February 24, nearly 1,982 people have lost their lives in Ukraine, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). As of April 14, 162 children were included in the total.
According to the organsation, 716 people died in Donetsk and Luhansk’s eastern regions. In other locations, such as Kyiv, Kharkiv in the east, Chernihiv in the north, as well as Kherson in the south, 1,266 people were reported dead. The OHCHR revealed that 2,651 people have been injured.
(Image: AP)
