It is over three months since Russia entered Ukraine. The fighting is still going on.
– It is a conflict we never thought was possible in Europe again. The consequences are catastrophic, and it continues every day. Our analyzes show that if the war continues throughout the year, Ukraine will have lost 20 years of its development, says the head of the UN Development Program (UNDP), Achim Steiner, in an interview with Dagbladet.
Asks Norway to turn around: – A shock
Shock waves
As head of the UNDP, he is also concerned with how the war affects the rest of the world. Dagbladet has written several times about an imminent one global hunger crisis because Russia blocks Ukraine’s exports of wheat, grain and barleyoil and gas prices have skyrocketed, while inflation is hitting the world.
– We see shock waves all over the world as a result of the price shock. I am extremely concerned about how this war is affecting the whole world, there is great economic and social destruction. It comes as a huge stress factor for many countries right after a corona crisis, Steiner explains.
VISIT TO NORWAY: UN chief Achim Steiner on his way out of a visit to Jonas Gahr Støre at the Prime Minister’s office on Tuesday 31 May. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
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He believes that the West and Russia must find a solution that ensures that Ukraine again gets safely exported agricultural products.
– Diplomacy must reach a compromise. We can not conjure up more food overnight, it will take six to 12 months. Until then, we must find a solution for grain stocks. It is a very sensitive negotiation, but it is being worked on, and we hope it will yield results.
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Ask Norway to turn around
Steiner has been visiting Norway this week, and met Dagbladet both Monday and Tuesday. One of the points for the visit was to meet Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, where he asked Norway to turn around in the government’s revised proposal for the state budget, where it is planned to cut the core support of NOK 440 million for the UNDP program for which Steiner is head.
The cut is proposed to be able to finance refugee expenses in Norway.
“Putin’s Iron Doll”: – World War III
– Norway has been one of our most stable supporters. That they make such a drastic decision came as a shock, Steiner told Dagbladet.
He warned that the cuts could have major consequences for the work of the UN in developing countries that are now in crisis. The fear is that more countries will take Norway’s cuts as a signal, and that tens or hundreds of millions of kroner in support of work in developing countries may disappear next year.
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– Too slow
These are the countries Steiner is now concerned about. He believes that Norway, and the other rich nations in the world, are facing an important strategic choice in the coming weeks. The Brazilian clearly states that the world community must be preventive and help before the crisis is a fact, otherwise it can become much more expensive later.
– History has shown that a conflict can start somewhere, but spread further, Steiner points out.
Takes over if Putin dies
He cites Sri Lanka as an example. The country has defaulted on foreign debt, is on the verge of bankruptcy and a humanitarian crisis. Violent demonstrations have broken out in the streets.
– Our analyzes show that there are 80 countries that are one step away from defaulting on the debt they have. Member States must see how serious this crisis is and take action. The world is currently looking at a crisis, but is too slow to act, the UN summit concludes.
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