The UN General Assembly once again gathered leaders from the whole world in New York. Russia’s illegal colonial war against Ukraine was on top of the agenda – but there were also many other issues to address. With the food crisis, as well as other burning issues, multilateral action is more needed than ever. A Global Food Security Summit co-chaired by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken with the leaders of the European Union, African Union, and Spain, and co-hosted with Germany, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Colombia, was organised in the margins of the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week that started on 20 September. Leaders concurred that food systems and global food security are at a critical moment.

The compounded impacts from a global pandemic, growing pressures from the climate crisis, high energy and fertiliser prices, and protracted conflicts, including Russia’s imperialistic invasion of Ukraine have disrupted production and supply chains and dramatically increased global food insecurity, especially for the most vulnerable.

In his remarks at the Summit, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, declared food security to be the major global challenge today.

Today’s global food crisis was exacerbated by Russia’s war against Ukraine, impacting every country. According to President Michel, it is important to find solutions collectively, together with Africa and together with the rest of the world. More coordination is needed, as well as more money, and the European Union is stepping up its efforts.

With its Member States, the EU has put forward a comprehensive Global Food Security Response of nearly 8 billion euros until 2024 to provide humanitarian relief along with short-term and longer-term solutions, especially to countries most in need, particularly in Africa.

A major priority for EU countries in addressing growing food insecurity is to help Ukraine export its agri-food production, which has been severely compromised by the Russian invasion.

Ukraine is a key producer and exporter of food staples, such as wheat and maize. Some 90% of its wheat exports went to Africa and Asia between

2016 and 2021, supporting food security in some of the most disadvantaged regions of the world. With Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s ports from the start of the war, around 20 million tonnes of grain were stuck in storage silos on the Black Sea shores.

Already in May 2022, the European Commission presented an action plan to establish solidarity lanes to develop alternative overland routes to help Ukraine export its agricultural products, by:

providing freight rolling stock, vessels and lorries

more effectively using the existing capacity of transport networks and transhipment terminals

simplifying and speeding up customs operations and other inspections

enabling the storage of goods on EU territory Since the start of operations in May 2022, around 10 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain, oilseeds and other products have been exported via the solidarity lanes.

In August 2022, 61% of Ukraine’s food exports (2.6 million tonnes) were transported via the lanes, and, contrary to Russia’s disinformation, this food is getting to Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Another priority is to tackle the shortage of fertilisers, caused by Russia’s announcement of a temporary ban on exports of grains and fertilisers, which led to market destabilisation. Capacities for production need to be developed, especially in Africa. President Michel referred to the action taken with vaccine manufacturing capacities, which can and should be an inspiration. He had launched this idea at the G7 meeting in Germany with the participation of President Macky Sall and President Cyril Ramaphosa. It is important to get others on board — donors, governments, banks and private companies. All global initiatives must be well coordinated and tailored to the needs of the most vulnerable. Russia’s war against the people of Ukraine is a test, a test of the international rules-based order. The forces that believe in global cooperation must rally to make the world a better and safer place.

At the Summit, leaders underscored the need to act with sustained urgency and in coordination to fulfil the goals of the 2021 Food Systems Summit, as well as to respond to immediate humanitarian needs and build more resilient agriculture and food systems along the following lines of action which the EU backed up international FARM initiative encompasses:

Make new, additive financial donations to key humanitarian organisations to allow for an increased provision of immediate life-saving humanitarian assistance wherever possible;

Provide, where possible and as needed, inkind donations and necessary associated costs to key humanitarian organisations for transportation and delivery of food commodities based on assessed needs by governments of affected countries or humanitarian organisations;

Keep food, fertiliser, and agricultural markets open and avoid unjustified restrictive measures, such as export bans on food and fertiliser, which increase market volatility and threaten food security and nutrition at a global scale;

Support an increase of fertiliser production, where possible and as needed, in order to compensate for shortages, accelerate and scale-up fertiliser innovations, support their marketing, and promote methods to maximise fertiliser efficiency

Accelerate efforts to support sustainable agriculture and food systems, through strengthening agricultural productivity, particularly in the most affected countries to build their resilience and support domestic production, including as appropriate through efforts to support an energy transition that is just and equitable, to make them more resilient and available to producers of all scale, including small holder farmers;

Increase investments in research and technology to develop and implement science-based and climate-resilient agricultural innovations, including seeds, that contribute to building sustainable and resilient agricultural sectors and food systems; and

Monitor markets affecting food systems, including futures markets, to ensure full transparency, and to share reliable and timely data and information on global food market developments, especially through the relevant international organisations.

During the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, on September 21, President Putin announced a partial mobilisation in Russia, the organisation of illegal “referenda” in the Ukrainian territories, which are currently occupied by Russia and threatened again, in an unveiled manner, with the use of weapons of mass destruction.

This follows the unprovoked and unjustified full-scale military attack Russia launched against Ukraine on February 24, involving navy, land and air attacks, and targeting increasingly Ukrainian civil population and infrastructure, including residential buildings and hospitals.

The following day, September 22, High Representative Josep Borrell after his address at the UN Security Council, reconfirmed that Russia’s escalation would not shake the EU’s determination, resolve and unity to stand by Ukraine, and its comprehensive support to Ukraine’s ability to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty as long as it takes.

He told the UN Security Council that the EU would do whatever it takes to ensure accountability, relying on the International Criminal Court and on the Ukrainian authorities.

The EU is committed to upholding the international rules-based order and international peace, security and justice based on the United Nations Charter, outlawing the threat or use of force against another sovereign state.