How is Africa affected by Russia’s war?
By Abraham Darwish
Russia and Ukraine supply nearly a third of the globe’s wheat. So, the implications of conflict in the region are felt globally, particularly in an already suffering Africa.
On October 29, 2022, Russia’s move to withdraw from The Grain Deal which assured a secure path for ships carrying vital grain exports from Ukraine, created international concerns about grain supply. Moscow claimed drone incursions on the city of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea as the reason for its withdrawal from the deal. Fears of world hunger are piling up as over 830+ million people are undernourished, primarily driven by conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Russia’s suspension of the deal sparked significant and immediate implications globally, as Ukraine plays an integral role in the global food market. During times of peace, Ukraine usually imported nearly three-quarters of the grain it produced. About one week after exiting The Grain Deal, on November 2, 2022, Russia announced they would rejoin the grain export agreement after Turkey, alongside the United Nations, helped mediate the deal. According to the Turkish state news agency Anadolu, during the talk between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Tayyip Erdogan, they agreed to send grains to countries in desperate need in Africa, such as Djibouti, Somalia, and Sudan. Putin even insisted that if Russia withdrew from the deal again, they would substitute the entire grain allocated for the “poorest countries” for free from Russia’s own share.
As 280 million Africans already suffer from chronic hunger, the African continent is deeply vulnerable to changing in international deals. The cost of bread and other foods has spiked due to The Grain deal between Russia and Ukraine ending. Although the agreement was reinstated, the price of grain remained high, as bread is essential and heavily relied upon by most African countries. Countries such as Egypt, which has always subsidized bread, continued by further fixing prices to remain affordable in the short term.
Climate-related risks across Africa also play a massive role in chronic hunger. Flooding, drought, heat waves, decreased food production, and reduced labor productivity are all factors worsening due to climate change. These factors cause massive soars in death as flooding causes a lack of homes and cultivated land. Furthermore, these environmental changes cause spikes in Malaria, Dengue Fever, Lyme disease, Ebola virus, and West Nile virus across sub-Saharan Africa.
The economic impacts of climate change are incredibly impactful to all players worldwide. According to The Hill, the climate crisis has destroyed about a fifth of the gross domestic product of those countries most vulnerable to climate shock. Several solutions have arisen to help solve chronic hunger in Africa. Wealthy nations previously committed to investing $100 billion annually in poorer countries, yet more needs to be done. Climate change is an issue that requires global cooperation on a massive scale to create radical change. Ultimately, international deals and policies heavily determine how much the impoverished can eat.
