The UN Security Council met to discuss the implications of the spread of the Corona epidemic on global food security, while the Group of Twenty agreed to face food price turmoil, in light of an international warning that the world is experiencing an acute and unprecedented food crisis.
Today, the Security Council heard a briefing by the Executive Director of the World Food Program on the implications of the spread of the Corona Virus on food security in the world.
Meanwhile, the G20 agriculture and food ministers said in a remote meeting that emergency measures in the context of the Corona pandemic should not put unnecessary barriers to trade, or hinder global food supply chains.
According to a closing statement, the meeting stressed the need to avoid any measures that could lead to excessive fluctuations in food prices on world markets.
The statement stressed the importance of avoiding food losses and waste caused by disturbances that may affect the food supply chains, and exacerbating the risks of nutrition or economic losses.
Slow supply chains
The extraordinary meeting came at a time when the general isolation measures due to the Corona virus around the world are slowing global food supply chains, which makes some farmers unable to deliver their products to consumers, while major producing countries restrict exports.
For her part, World Bank Chief Mary Pangestu warned in today's meeting of import barriers and export restrictions, calling for global cooperation to avoid a food crisis.
Last month, UN agencies warned that uncertainties about the availability of food amid the Coruna virus epidemic could lead to export restrictions, leading to increased and volatile prices, and called for measures to reduce the potential impacts on the food supply chain.
Wheat, Egypt, Russia
and major grain supplies are globally abundant, but some producing countries indicate that they will place restrictions on their foreign sales to prioritize domestic supply.
These restrictions come at a time when major food-importing countries are seeking to boost their reserves by increasing purchases from abroad.
Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, said last week that it would halt grain exports until July 1, as soon as it had exhausted an export quota it set at 7 million tonnes, something that is now likely to happen in mid-May.
If Russia's share is exhausted by that date, that could hamper purchases that Egypt made last week to increase its stocks.
Egypt, the largest buyer of wheat in the world, booked 180,000 tons of Russian wheat in two tenders as it seeks to increase its reserves.
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Acute crisis
In the same regard, an international report issued by the United Nations affirmed that the world is living an acute and unprecedented food crisis.
The report revealed that by the end of 2019, more than 130 million people in 55 countries had experienced food insecurity, while more than seventy million children faced health problems due to hunger.
And on the origins and motives of this global food setback, the UN report reveals that the main factors lie mainly in conflicts and wars that are the main cause of more than half of the world's hunger cases, as well as causing them to seek refuge, displacement and displacement of thousands.
The report reflected the increasing impact of climatic factors and economic crises on acute levels of food insecurity.
It is noteworthy that the report completed its data and prepared before the crisis of the Coronavirus, but it is likely in its expectations at the near level that the Corona epidemic will overburden health systems, which may lead to the destruction of livelihoods and food security, especially in countries that are fragile in security, political, economic and health.