Rising food prices as a result of the Ukrainian crisis increase the risk of malnutrition for millions of children in the Middle East and North Africa, UNICEF reported.
The countries of the Middle East and North Africa have been hit hard by wars and poverty, and the coronavirus has only exacerbated the situation.
Ukraine and Russia account for a third of the world's wheat and barley exports, which countries in the Middle East rely on. They are also leading exporters of other cereals and sunflower oil.
UNICEF has warned that if the situation continues, children in the region will be severely affected, especially in Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, countries that have been struggling with conflict and severe economic crisis since before the war.
“With ongoing conflicts, political instability, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis, the region is witnessing unprecedented hikes in food prices coupled with low purchasing power,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. She added that the number of malnourished children is likely to drastically increase.
The countries of the Middle East and North Africa import more than 90% of the food they consume. UNICEF reports that only 36% of young children in the region are getting the nutrition they need for healthy growth and development.
On average, almost one in five children is stunted or too small for their age, while the average number of children who are too thin for their height is 7%.
UNICEF named Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon and Syria the most affected by the war in Ukraine. According to UNICEF, there are more than 9.1 million children under the age of 5 in these countries, and a total of almost 13.8 million children and women in need of a nutrition intervention.
