Breakthrough on Ukraine grain must help feed East Africa, says Christian Aid

International development charity, Christian Aid, has welcomed confirmation that Ukraine and Russia have signed a deal to allow the export of grain and is calling on the UK Government to speed up “the delivery of funding that has been promised to alleviate the hunger crisis in East Africa.”

In East Africa, after the worst drought in 40 years, vulnerable people are facing the threat of famine and dying as the war in Ukraine causes food and fuel prices to rocket even beyond record levels pre-war. According to the UN, 18.4m people are starting to die of hunger.

Working with local partners, Christian Aid is helping 300,000 people in the region by repairing wells, handing out water purification kits, providing cash, trucking water to drought-affected communities as well as providing fodder and medicine to keep livestock alive.

Elizabeth Hallinan, Humanitarian Policy Analyst on Hunger, said: “The global increase in food and fuel prices is pushing millions of people across East Africa to take desperate measures to survive in the face of failed harvests, livestock deaths, water shortages, and extreme hunger. Confirmation that Ukraine and Russia have signed a deal to allow the export of millions of tonnes of grain is crucially important. That act alone, however, will not be enough to save the lives of millions on the brink. The UK Government must now speed up the delivery of funding that has already been promised to alleviate the hunger crisis in East Africa, reverse cuts to aid that undermine resilience to shocks, and ensure all funding supports local actors who are best placed to respond quickly.”