Asked by: Lord Spencer of Alresford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact the Russian invasion of Ukraine on food poverty and the humanitarian crises in Sub-Saharan Africa; and what steps they plan to take to support that region as a result.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The devastation being caused in Ukraine has implications globally. This is seen in the rising prices of staple foods at a time when there is already food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa exacerbated by conflict, climate shocks and the economic impact of Covid-19. The FCDO will continue to encourage open trade to facilitate the movement of food and prioritise humanitarian assistance in particular, to prevent famine. The UK is currently the fourth largest humanitarian donor in Sub-Saharan Africa and we have demonstrated our commitment to tackling food insecurity through a Call to Action on Famine Prevention and brokering a Compact through our G7 Presidency. These include a commitment to mobilise humanitarian funding and a diplomatic focus on the most severe crises - the majority of which are in Africa. We will continue to work with G7 partners to mitigate the risk of an extended global food price crisis and to maintain food security.