People pick up their accreditation in the G7 press centre in the southern Bavarian resort where the G7 Summit will be held, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, June 23, 2022. (REUTERS)
BERLIN聽 鈥� The Group of Seven wealthy countries must ramp up humanitarian aid to help tackle a global hunger crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, a senior official of the United Nations鈥� food agency in Germany was quoted as saying on Saturday.
The group begins a three-day meeting in Bavaria, Germany, on Sunday against the backdrop of a UN warning that the world faces 鈥渁n unprecedented global hunger crisis鈥� as commodity prices soar.
鈥淗unger can destabilize countries and is thus a key peace and security issue,鈥� German World Food Programme director Martin Frick told the country鈥檚 news organisation RND, noting that current food price inflation running at over 25% in 36 countries was a 鈥渢ime bomb鈥�.
He also reiterated that the World Food Programme was probably going to get no more than half of the $21.5 billion it needs this year, so more aid was needed.
Food security is expected to be on the agenda of the G7 meeting after the presidency launched a Global Alliance for Food Security in May to tackle hunger.
鈥淭here must be a common understanding that this crisis can no longer be solved by sticking plasters, but that the system must be changed,鈥� Frick said.