Hungary urged joint struggle against food crisis in the United Nations

Hungary is ready to maintain its participation in international efforts to prevent a global food crisis expected as a result of the war in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in New York late on Thursday local time.

The ministry said in a statement that addressing the UN Security Council open debate in connection with “Conflict and food security”, Szijjártó said that the war posed direct and indirect security risks for Hungary, being a neighbouring country to Ukraine, partly as a result of the proximity of the fighting and partly due to potential further waves of migrants resulting from the crisis.

He said the armed conflict posed a serious threat to global food supplies considering that both Russia and Ukraine were among the largest grain exporters in the world.

The war could pose an especially difficult situation in regions already facing conflict and economic challenges, resulting in an increased threat of terrorism and further migratory waves, he added. The international community must make every effort to prevent such a crisis, he said.

Missing food supplies must be either replaced from alternative sources or, if this is not possible, Ukraine must be given help to maintain its exports, Szijjártó said. Hungary is helping farmers in Transcarpathia with seeds, offering ten tonnes of maize, five tonnes of potatoes and half a tonne of sunflowers, to support local supplies and export capacities, he added.