UN Chief Antonio Guterres warns world is facing real risk of multiple famines this year

Kathmandu: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the world is facing the real risk of multiple famines this year. In video message to the Uniting for Global Food Security ministerial conference in Berlin, he said, 2023 could be even worse because of the growing shortage of food around the globe. UN Secretary-General said the war in Ukraine has added to the disruptions caused by climate change, the coronavirus pandemic and inequality to produce an unprecedented global hunger crisis already affecting hundreds of millions of people.

Mr. Guterres said, all harvests will be hit, including rice and corn affecting billions of people across Asia, Africa and the Americas and this year’s food access issues could become next year’s global food shortage. He warned that no country would be immune to the social and economic fallout.

Mr.Guterres said UN negotiators are working on a deal that would enable Ukraine to export food, and let Russia bring food and fertilizer to world markets without restrictions.