Topic: 2024-Famine in Conflict Zones
Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Sloane Truckenbrod
Delegate: Sloane Trukenbrod
Committee: ECOSOC
School: Francis W. Parker School
Topic: Famine in Conflict Zones
Representing: USA
More than 864 million people in the world are currently facing serious food emergencies, many of them living in war zones. Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan, Yemen, and the Gaza Strip present the worst cases of food insecurity due to ongoing violence. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), famine means the levels of complete lack of food reaching a threshold where deaths occur or there is hunger across populations in the short term. The war in Ukraine worsened their situation because of disrupted grain exports, higher food prices, and reduced emergency aid to other areas. These statistics point to a need for immediate international action.
Conflicts displace communities, destroy crops, and block access to food supplies. The violence in war-torn areas has made many people flee their home land, leaving farms and livelihoods. Economic instability is exacerbating the situation, with inflation and disruption to supply chains forcing up the price of essentials beyond the reach of the poorest people. Global conflicts, such as the one in Ukraine, have ripple effects that negatively impact food security far from conflict areas.
In the United States, efforts toward the eradication of famine in conflict zones fall within the realms of both humanitarian values and strategic interests. Instability and hunger create political unrest, mass migration, and security threats, events that can spill into the global arena and reach The United States. The US is already the single largest donor of humanitarian assistance worldwide, and more concrete steps should be taken by the United States to curb the root causes of food insecurity. In addition to emergency relief, long-term strategies are needed to minimize dependency on long-term support and to avoid another humanitarian crisis. U.S. leadership is now required to urge international partners into shared action in response to this critical situation.
Finding a solution for famine in conflict zones involves establishing aid and support through which food and other forms of aid can be distributed. Partnerships among governments, Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), and private organizations should be strengthened to further streamline relief work. Investment in sustainable farm methods and innovative agricultural technologies in areas of conflict will help the people of such communities to rebuild and reduce vulnerabilities in the future. Finally, the U.S. should bring together donors and philanthropic organizations from around the world to increase funding of long-term food security programs. These steps would position the United States as a leader in combating famine and make it a pathfinder toward global stability.
