The Group of Seven leaders gather for a lunch at the Schloss Elmau hotel in Elmau, Germany. (Reuters)
Berlin: A US official announced on Tuesday that the leaders of the Group of 7 (G7) countries pledged to dedicate $5 billion in order to enhance Global Food Security in light of the famine crisis that is approaching as a result of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
The official affirmed that the agreement was reached on the sidelines of the G7 summit taking place in the south of Germany, indicating that the US will be providing more than half of that amount.
This money will support the efforts of more than 47 countries and help to save many lives through direct relief interventions, he said, adding that it would also enhance the flexibility and endurance of the world food systems, especially in the most vulnerable regions.
The war in Ukraine is blocking grain exports from leaving the country's ports, which is causing foodstuff prices to rise all around the world, leading experts and relief organizations to warn of expected famines to take place in several regions in Africa, while Moscow blames the western sanctions for the food crisis.
It is noteworthy that the G7 summit began on Sunday at the Elmau Palace (Schloss Elmau) in the southern German state of Bavaria, and the group includes the seven most powerful economic countries in the world, namely Germany, US, France, UK, Italy, Canada and Japan.
The leaders of the G7 countries had pledged earlier to raise $600 billion by 2027, as part of a massive program to finance infrastructure investments in developing countries, with the aim of confronting China's billion-dollar Belt and Road initiative.
