The EU has pledged 600 million euros to countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific to help alleviate the food crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. The support will be given through humanitarian assistance, macro-economic support, and sustainable production and resilience of food systems. The majority of the funds are going toward the latter in the medium-to-long term, while the other funds provide immediate assistance to the countries themselves and the IMF. The new measure was announced at the 2022 European Development Days in Brussels on June 21st.

Jutta Urpilainen, the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, said, “The most vulnerable are facing tremendous suffering with a worsened food crisis following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. With these additional €600 million, we will strengthen our support to address the crisis, while contributing to sustainable and resilient food systems.” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen promoted the measure, stating that, “Russia’s war of aggression is taking a heavy and senseless toll, not only on the Ukrainian population, but also those most vulnerable around the world… To help our partners we will mobilise an additional 600 million euros to avoid a food crisis and an economic shock.”

This pledged assistance is crucial in addressing the effects of war, especially in such a globally connected society. With much of the focus currently being on Ukraine, it is vital not to forget the other impacts that war and sanctions can have in countries not directly involved, like those in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. The EU’s plan is a positive step toward addressing these effects and ensuring that innocent people are not negatively impacted by wars waged by other parties, whether they be other countries or leaders they disagree with. The contribution over time to sustainable and resilient food systems will also address this long-term, allowing these countries to move away from reliance on others, making them less vulnerable to global crises and events in other countries.

The EU was initially divided over whether to adopt the plan because of the intention to help African countries build their own fertilizer plants, according to Reuters. However, its positive impact will clearly outweigh their concerns. The EU Commission explicitly opposed the plan, saying it goes against EU energy and environment policies, which do not support the use or production of chemical fertilizers. Instead, the Commission said the EU should make a plan that encourages only alternatives to fertilizers or more efficient use of fertilizers that countries are able to acquire. While this is an important concern, the people immediately suffering must also be considered, and their current needs exceed the Commission’s concerns.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war and sanctions that followed have created a disruption in the food market, causing a lack of imported food across the world. According to The New York Times, many routes for grain to be moved out of Ukraine and into the market have been blocked by the war, and some supplies of grain have been destroyed by Russian attacks. Russia and Belarus have said they would release the grain in exchange for sanction relief, but western countries do not want to lessen the pressure at the risk of worsening the war. This has caused a stalemate, with countries with the ability to help facing a dilemma between punishing invasions and helping starving innocent people.

While it is necessary to provide aid to those in Ukraine who are being directly impacted by Russia’s invasion and the subsequent war, it is also important to note the repercussions throughout the world. The EU’s actions should serve as an example for how other countries with the means to provide assistance should act, demonstrating a way to provide much-needed assistance without compromising their political position. These countries must shift some of their focus and spending toward providing immediate and long-term assistance to people feeling the dire global effects of this war.