Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development
Published on May 20, 2022
1. United Nations – Conflict and Food security – Statement by Mr Nicolas de Rivière, Permanent representative of France to the United Nations – Open debate of the Security Council (New York,2022-05-19)
=Translation from French=
Mr. President,
I thank the Secretary General, Mr. Beasley, Mr. Dongyu and Ms. Menker for their presentations.
The numbers speak for themselves: 2022 will mark a dark record in the number of food insecure people, due to conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. The Sahel and Lake Chad regions, South Sudan, the Horn of Africa, Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan are the first to be affected.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is also a war against global food security. It is contributing to increase the risk of famine in the world.
Russia is trying to make us believe, again just now, that it is the sanctions adopted against it that are unbalancing global food security.
But let’s be clear: there are no sanctions against the food sector, none at all, Russia is solely responsible.
It is Russia’s unjustified and unjustifiable war that is preventing Ukraine from exporting its agricultural production, disrupting global supply chains and driving up prices, jeopardising the accessibility of agricultural commodities for the most vulnerable. It is the continuation of the fighting that threatens agricultural activity in Ukraine and future harvests.
Mr. President,
The most urgent and effective response to the global food crisis is the immediate cessation of hostilities and of the Russian aggression, as well as the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
Food exports by sea must resume from Ukrainian ports, which are now blocked due to the war. We call on Russia to give the necessary guarantees to this effect. France supports the efforts of the Secretary General to allow the export of these goods, as well as the initiatives of the European Union to allow their transport by land.
International cooperation must be strengthened in order to counter the risks of famine and to prevent the disastrous effects of this war.
This is why France fully supports the initiative launched by the Secretary General, through the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group.
It is also for this reason that France, in its capacity as Presidency of the Council of the European Union, has launched the FARM (Food & Agriculture Resilience Mission) initiative, endorsed by the European Council. It aims to better regulate markets, to guarantee supplies to the most vulnerable countries and to promote sustainable food systems.
We call on all interested public and private actors to join this initiative.
Mr. President,
France continues to increase its financial contribution to food aid, which this year reaches 114 million euros, an increase of 241% since 2018. It is also mobilised through its contributions to international organisations, projects led by civil society and the actions of the French Development Agency.
France will continue to act to counter the negative repercussions of Russia’s war against Ukraine on global food security.
I thank you./.