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As the war in Ukraine has created a shortage of wheat and the threat of a food crisis looms over the world, Pope Francis called for all forces to come together to "resolve this issue and to guarantee the universal human right to food."
The Pope made this appeal at the end of the general audience of June 1, 2022.
The Economist explained the gravity of the situation:
The war comes on the heals of the food insecurity already caused by the pandemic, and the situation is further exacerbated by the fact that other suppliers, such as India, China, and the midwest of America, are facing shortages because of climate issues -- rains at the wrong time or a lack of rain, or extreme temperatures.
On May 16, a statement from the Ukrainian parliament accused Russia of blocking ports and looting thousands of tons of wheat. "Russia's military invasion of Ukraine is the sole cause of the global food crisis," it said.
Millions of people's lives
All this led the Pope to make his heartfelt appeal today: "Please do not use wheat, a staple food, as a weapon of war!"
This is what he said:
