Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that developing countries are food secure in the context of the situation in Ukraine.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is exacerbating global food insecurity risks, which were already heightened by climate change, conflict and Covid-19. With 1.7 billion people in over 100 countries now facing food, energy and commodity price rises, the global impact of Russia's war and the pursuit of practical solutions will be a key priority.

The UK is stepping up to respond. We have announced emergency humanitarian assistance to address critical rising food insecurity in the Horn of Africa and in Yemen and have pledged £286 million to meet needs in Afghanistan. With G7 allies, we are discussing Germany's proposal for a G7 Global Alliance on Food Security, to scale up a rapid, needs-based coordinated response, building on current food security architecture. In April, the UK and our partners secured the largest ever financial commitment from the World Bank of $170 billion to support countries faced with economic challenges, including the impact of the Russian invasion.