The tragic war between Russia and Ukraine is now in its seventh month. The attacks and humiliations faced by the citizens of Ukraine during this period will be remembered as the stigma of the 21st century. The war has also shattered the claim that America and its allies are committed to humanity, equality, and poverty alleviation. They have shown themselves to be nothing but selfish dwarves.
Did you know that when the US invaded Iraq, the neighboring Arab countries, Germany and Japan, borne about 80% of the cost? Similarly, in Afghanistan, Russia and America fought the Taliban for two decades, but lost. It took a lot of bloodshed to stop the Taliban, but they are back in power in Kabul. American strategists may continue to claim that the Taliban has changed, but how could the Taliban government be unaware that al-Zawahiri had been living in a posh area of Kabul for months?
Let us return to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
This war has not only created widespread fear of the Third World War, but has also sown the seeds of some new fears. Even though we have been able to prevent the Sino-Russian partnership from escalating into major wars, the threat of new imperialism remains. Stalin once sent tanks to Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia; Today, imperialist China treats Taiwan the same way. China has already created a dispute on the Indian border. There is no guarantee that such encroachments against its neighbors will not occur elsewhere in the future. In these dire circumstances, even if the superpowers manage to survive the Third World War, Cold War 2.0 is already knocking at our door. The signs don’t stop here.
Unfortunately, 2022 will be remembered as one of the saddest years in human history in terms of starvation. Even before the war, about 830 million people worldwide were doomed to sleep every evening without adequate nutrition. Malnutrition used to kill about 3.1 million children every year. As a result, migration, human trafficking and terrorism flourished, but the six-month-old war has made the situation worse. One reason behind this is that Ukraine accounts for 10% of the world’s wheat exports. It has a market share of 46 per cent in terms of sunflower seeds and oil. Similarly, Russia is an important agricultural exporter. Russian farmers export about 19% of the world’s wheat. These figures combined paint a new and disturbing picture.
However, on 22 July an agreement was reached to resolve such a situation under the direction of the United Nations. Foodgrain exports resumed on August 4, but it will take time to see its impact on the ground. Here another question arises: how can war and general trade coexist? Why does Russia want Ukraine to get money from anywhere, knowing it will eventually be used against it? This war has disturbed the world.
Consider what would happen if China invaded Taiwan and the world imposed almost the same sanctions on it as it did on Russia. Despite feeding its vast population, China exports 1.66% of its food grains to the rest of the world. This can worsen an already problematic situation. Now let’s talk about India.
Apart from being self-sufficient in agricultural products, Indian farmers also make up 2% of the world’s food exporters. Unfortunately, seven states across the country are currently facing severe drought. Where it rained, it rained so hard that it damaged the crops; And where this did not happen, the field is cracking. Such misfortune is not only in our country. The worst drought in Europe’s history has affected Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. The world’s two largest economies, the US and China, face a similar dilemma. According to American agricultural scientists, 40 percent of the cotton crop this year was ruined. In addition, there is a severe drought affecting six Chinese provinces. There, the Yangtze, the world’s third largest river, has dried up.
All this is happening because of La Nia. According to Isla Simson, a climate scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in the US, a warmer environment absorbs more precipitation from the land, increasing the likelihood of drought. La Nia usually lasts between nine and 12 months, but this time it is manifesting itself even after this period. Consequently, concerns of a further increase in appetite cannot be ruled out.
The world needs compassion, cooperation and complete solidarity to deal with these challenging situations, but what is happening is just the opposite. Do the ominous clouds of impending war mean that phrases like ‘global village’ and ‘global fraternity’ are merely political catchphrases?
Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief of Hindustan. Thoughts are personal.
catch all business News, market news, today’s fresh news events and breaking news Updates on Live Mint. download mint news app To get daily market updates.