Dependence on Russian hydrocarbons has been a thorn in the side of Western allies since the start of the offensive in Ukraine.
But the supply of wheat is also a major conflict issue for many developing countries.
Eight to 13 million additional people could suffer from undernutrition in the world if food exports from Russia and Ukraine were permanently prevented, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said on Friday. agriculture (FAO).
If the reduction in exports were to last, “the global number of undernourished people could increase by 8 to 13 million in 2022-2023”, specified the organization in a briefing note.
Its general manager, Qu Dongyu, for his part, estimated, in a press release published separately, that "the disruptions suffered by the production, the supply chains and the transport of cereals and oilseeds", as well as "the restrictions imposed to Russian exports", will have significant repercussions on food security".
About fifty countries concerned
According to him, about 50 countries “depend on wheat imports and obtain 30% or more of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine”.
“Egypt, Turkey, Bangladesh and Iran, which are the biggest wheat importers, buy more than 60% of their wheat from Ukraine and Russia.
Lebanon, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya and Pakistan are also heavily dependent on these two countries for their wheat supply,” he recalled.
The most affected regions would be Asia-Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Near East and North Africa.
“We must immediately provide well-targeted social protection programs to the large number of additional people around the world who are at risk of being pushed into poverty and hunger due to the conflict,” Qu Dongyu said.
The international organization recommends that countries continue their exchanges as much as possible, in order to “protect production and marketing activities intended to meet national and global demands”.
Emmanuel Macron also warned this Friday, on the sidelines of the European summit in Versailles, that Europe and Africa would be "very deeply destabilized in terms of food" in the 12 to 18 months to come due to the war.
Especially since the Covid-19 epidemic had already had the effect of worsening undernutrition worldwide, the number of people affected having increased by 1.5% in 2020 after five years of relative stabilization, according to the specialized agencies on food insecurity in the world (SOFI).
