French President Macron To Discuss Food Crisis Caused By The War In Ukraine During Africa Tour

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to discuss the food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine during his four-day visit to Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau, an official from the Élysée Palace said.

“The trip will be an opportunity to strengthen our collective resilience to food crises and promote long-term investment in agriculture in vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa.”

Macron will meet Cameroon’s 89-year-old President, Paul Biya, on Tuesday. This is the first trip by a French President to the country since 2015.

Some background: The United Nations has warned that up to 49 million people could be pushed into famine or famine-like conditions due to the war’s devastating impact on global food supply and prices.

During his tour — which started on Monday — Macron will also speak about security and the terrorist threat that continues to spread throughout the Sahel and West Africa.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also touring Africa, hoping to seek support amid global outrage at the food crisis following Moscow’s blockade of Ukrainian ports. He has visited Egypt — the world’s largest wheat importer — and the Republic of Congo.