PM announces international food security summit to be held in the UK
The Prime Minister has announced that the UK will host an international food security summit in November to support those hit by rising food prices.
At the Delhi G20, Rishi Sunak stated that the UK would convene an international food security summit on Monday 20th November 2023 in order to “spearhead efforts to help vulnerable people and economies deal with the impact of Putin’s action.”
PM Rishi Sunak said: “Once again, Vladimir Putin is failing to show his face at the G20. He is the architect of his own diplomatic exile, isolating himself in his presidential palace and blocking out criticism and reality.
“The rest of the G20, meanwhile, are demonstrating that we will turn up and work together to pick up the pieces of Putin’s destruction.
“That starts with dealing with the terrible global consequences of Putin’s stranglehold over the most fundamental resources, including his blockade of and attacks on Ukrainian grain.
Monitoring the global grain situation
Until Russia backed out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July, the World Food Programme (WFP) had procured 80% of its global wheat grain from Ukraine, which was previously the world’s fifth largest wheat exporter.
A statement from the Government regarding the spike in global food prices, a result of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said that the withdrawal will “cost lives around the world – further destabilising economies and putting people at risk of starvation.”
The PM also highlighted that the UK will be monitoring Russian activity in the Black Sea, with the RAF conducting flights in the area to ward off illegal Russian strikes against vessels transporting grain.
This comes a month after the NFU called for the PM to give a greater focus to UK domestic food production.
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