ABSTRACT
The global wheat- and energy-market crises resulting from the conflict have compounded the region’s extreme vulnerability to accelerating climate change and triggered a dramatic increase in food prices. These developments have raised questions about North Africa’s resilience to future trade disruptions, its climate-adaptation capacity and the lessons it learned regarding stabilising its food systems following the Arab Spring. The United Nations’ Black Sea Grain Initiative, launched in July 2022, managed to stabilise trade flows to and food prices in North Africa by facilitating Ukraine’s exports. UN data shows that over three million tonnes of food commodities were shipped to North African countries under the initiative, accounting for 10% of the total world shipping. The current crisis has also highlighted the importance of regional and international cooperation and coordination in preparing for and managing these kinds of the emergencies and disruptions.
