UN: The war in Ukraine could lead to a food crisis for 323 million people.

The text you provided discusses the serious concerns raised by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, during a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council regarding the acute food situation caused by the war in Ukraine. Bachelet warned that within a year, the number of people facing food shortages could increase by 47 million, from 276 million at the beginning of 2022 to 323 million during the current year. This is reported by the media outlet Suspilne.

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Bachelet emphasized that the global crisis in food, fuel, and finance could put millions of people in difficult situations. Approximately 1.2 billion people live in countries sensitive to all three aspects: finance, food, and energy.

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According to the World Food Programme's predictions, the number of people facing serious food instability is expected to rise from 276 million at the beginning of 2022 to 323 million within the year, as highlighted by Michelle Bachelet.

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Simultaneously, according to the UN Global Crisis and Response Group, the combination of high prices for food and energy, inflation, export restrictions, and worsening financial conditions could seriously impact the most vulnerable populations.

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By the end of the current year, the African Horn is expected to face its most severe drought in the last four decades. This natural disaster poses a threat to millions of people in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, where up to 20 million individuals may be at risk of famine. The most critical situation is concentrated in Somalia, where around 7 million people out of the country's 16 million population are experiencing acute food shortages. UNICEF data reveals that since the beginning of January this year, at least 448 children have died of hunger, underscoring the extremely dire situation in the country.

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The crisis in Ukraine has already affected global grain prices. The ongoing conflict has led to the blockade of Ukrainian ports by Russia, resulting in a shortage of supplies and additional increases in the prices of many staple foods.

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Overall, Ukraine was a significant supplier of grains to the global market before the war, but Russian invasion has restricted the export of certain types of grains. Leading representatives of the UN and countries around the world are actively working on finding solutions to regulate the situation and provide assistance to the population of Ukraine in the conditions of war to prevent a severe food crisis.