The European Union fears that the conflict in Ukraine could lead to catastrophic famine in Africa, which would cause new waves of protests, internal displacement and migration, including toward Europe, El Pais newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing a joint report of the European Commission and the European External Action Service.
The report, which has not been made public, was sent to all EU members earlier in week, the newspaper said. It outlines ways to respond to the consequences of the Ukrainian crisis, covering the territory from the Balkans and Turkey to Latin America. These regions are feeling the effects of a new geopolitical situation marked by high instability and growing risks of fragmentation of the international community, El Pais noted. Spain and Italy may be on the path of the new migration wave across the Mediterranean Sea, the newspaper added.
The European Commission intends to focus on assisting countries most affected by the crisis, those seeking to join the EU, the most influential players in each region or those needed to import energy and raw materials, the report said. The EU has already begun to provide urgent support to a number of countries, allocating more than $236 million to Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco and Palestine through the so-called Food and Resilience Fund, it added.
The latest data presented in the report shows that already some 193 million people, 40 million more than last year, "are subject to severe food shortages and need urgent assistance." An extension of the conflict in Ukraine could also destabilize Latin America and the Caribbean, El Pais said.
"Higher energy and food prices will increase poverty, hunger and social tensions in a context of growing inequality, political polarization and distrust of governments," the report read, as quoted by El Pais.
