Food Crisis in the Middle East under Russia-Ukraine Conflict
The Russia-Ukraine crisis, involving two of the world's most significant grain exporters, has severely impacted the stability of the international grain market. The escalation of this crisis, the tightened global food supplies and driven up food prices, sparkling widespread food panic across the world. This disruption to the global food system is not merely an economic issue but a geoeconomic challenge rooted in geopolitical confrontation, with far-reaching consequences. The situation has heightened international awareness around the security of key resources, including food transportation and chemical fertilizers, as well as their supply chains.In response to these challenges, countries in the Middle East have adopted risk management and control measures to secure domestic food supplies amid the crisis. However, the roles of Russia and Ukraine in the global grain trade are irreplaceable, with no immediate alternatives available to mitigate their absence. The crisis has exacerbated food insecurity, increasing the number of people affected and diminishing the willingness and capacity of states to participate in global food security governance.This paper argues that the crisis has contributed to the increasing politicization of food, complicating efforts to transform and stabilize the global food system by exploring the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on global food security and the implications for future international governance and cooperative security strategies.
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