The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed today’s announcement by G7 leaders meeting in Elmau, Germany, to provide an additional US$ 4.5 billion in support of the world’s most vulnerable people suffering from hunger and malnutrition.
The world is currently facing a global hunger crisis of unprecedented proportions. According to WFP, In just two years, the number of severely food insecure people has increased by more than 200 million from 135 million pre-pandemic to 345 million today. Of these, up to 50 million people in 45 countries are teetering on the edge of famine.
Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan and Afghanistan are some of the most affected countries.
The food crisis, brought on by a combination of climate shocks, the economic impact of COVID, rising food and fuel costs and conflict, has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.
Within this context, the G7 has made a commitment to ensure that trade remains open for food, fuel, and fertilisers, all of which are critical for countries bearing the brunt of this crisis.
