Topic: 2024-Famine in Conflict Zones
Country: Ghana
Delegate Name: Liam Watson
Famine in conflict areas is a critical issue that needs urgent attention from the international community, as it escalates the already disastrous crisis in war and violence-affected areas. Conflicts disrupt food production, displace communities, and limit access to essential resources. All these factors together lead to food insecurity, malnutrition, and economic instability among the affected populations. The World Food Programme has reported that conflict is the leading driving force of hunger, with many countries additionally facing violence that has caused food insecurity, such as Syria, Yemen, and South Sudan. Ghana, a country that has faced its own challenges around food security due to changes in climate and economic pressure, recognizes that famine deeply impacts communities through human suffering and stifling development.
While Ghana is not directly affected by armed conflicts, the issue of famine and food insecurity remains at a high level, as parts of the country may be exposed to climate change as well as regional instability. Ghana has a policy of providing support to peacemaking missions and international efforts toward eradicating food insecurity amidst conflicts. The Republic of Ghana has endorsed monumental resolutions such as the UN Security Council Resolution 2417, passed in 2018, which condemns the use of hunger and starvation as a method of warfare and states that it is a violation of international law. Additionally, Ghana is a member of international organizations that address food insecurity, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). These organizations help Ghana and other countries work together to diminish the effects of famine, especially in areas of conflict. Ghana advocates for an approach of immediate humanitarian relief and long-term agricultural recovery. Ghana calls upon the international community to arrange timely and coordinated food aid to reach the populations affected by conflict, particularly those that are least accessible.
Ghana wants to underline that there is a need to concentrate on long-term food security in post-conflict regions by reinforcing the agricultural infrastructure. Resilience against conflict could be built up in the availability of food at the local level through access to seeds, tools, and knowledge. Ghana also underlines the need for increased coordination between humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts on the root causes of food insecurity. In conflict areas, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the broader international community need to take bolder steps to protect vulnerable populations and build stronger, more resilient food systems.
