Ukraine war deepens food crises in African nations

The United Nations on Thursday announced it was releasing $100 million from its emergency fund for seven hunger hotspots, Yemen and six African countries -- Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan and Nigeria, "as the spillover of the Ukraine conflict threatens to drive millions closer to famine."

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that while "armed conflict, drought and economic turmoil are the main drivers of food insecurity in the seven recipient countries," the conflict in Ukraine is "making a dire situation even worse, disrupting food and energy markets and driving up the cost of imports beyond the reach of consumers."

On Wednesday, the U.N. task force warned that the war threatens to devastate the economies of many developing countries that are now facing even higher food and energy costs and increasingly difficult financial conditions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched their report saying, that "As many as 1.7 billion people -- one-third of whom are already living in poverty -- are now highly exposed to disruptions in food, energy and finance systems that are triggering increases in poverty and hunger."