Statement by the G7 Development Ministers on the Global Effects of Russia's War of Aggression against Ukraine

Statement by the G7 Development Ministers on the Global Effects of Russia's War of Aggression against Ukraine, and the G7's Comprehensive Support for Ukraine, Affected Neighbouring Countries as well as Countries of the Global South

May 19, 2022
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We, the G7 Development Ministers, condemn in the strongest terms Russia's unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression which it continues to wage against Ukraine, now also enabled by the Belarusian government. Russia's war of aggression stands in direct violation of international law, undermining the core tenets of the United Nations Charter, and we condemn the atrocities committed by Russian armed forces and their proxies, as well as killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure. We express our full support to Ukraine's sovereignty and full territorial integrity, stand with Ukraine and its People in their fight against Russia's aggression, and express our heartfelt condolences to the victims of this war and their families.
Building on the work of, in particular, G7 Leaders, G7 Agriculture Ministers, G7 Finance Ministers, and Central Bank Governors, as well as G7 Foreign Ministers, we reaffirm our full G7 support for all appropriate restrictive measures, including sanctions and export controls against Russia and its proxies in direct response to their aggression. We underline that these measures are directed against Russia, and do not target essential exports of food and agricultural inputs, and recall that it is Russia's war of aggression that has caused a significant further rise in global food and commodity prices amidst heightened volatility.
As G7 Development Ministers, we remain gravely concerned by the tragic loss of human lives, including those of numerous civilians, as well as evidence of the deliberate and comprehensive destruction of civilian and public infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, airports, power plants and warehouses, destroying Ukraine's economic and social development, and producing destructive effects on the environment, for years to come.
We therefore commit to continued short-, medium- and long-term financial and technical support for Ukraine, directly strengthening municipalities and host communities as well as the public sector in their efforts for the longer-term economic and social reconstruction in an effective and coordinated manner. We welcome international efforts such as the announcement of the EU Rebuild Ukraine Facility, and the establishment of the International Monetary Fund´s Administered Account for Ukraine, support the World Bank Group's support package for Ukraine, and stand ready as the G7 to coordinate and align our future efforts in close coordination with Ukraine and our international partners. We call on all countries and international organisations to join our efforts to ensure adequate support for Ukraine.
In light of its courageous resistance against Russia's war of aggression, we underline the importance of a strong Ukrainian voice in the international community´s early recovery and longer-term reconstruction efforts for Ukraine. Recognizing the immense destruction of basic social and public infrastructure, cities, industry and farm facilities in Ukraine, we as the G7 Development Ministers stand ready to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Ukraine's economy towards a balanced and green recovery, which will also ensure resilience against climate and environmental impacts. It is essential that we continue to closely coordinate our support for the reconstruction of a free and democratic Ukraine and support to its neighbours, amongst others through multilateral partnerships.
While the economic and social reconstruction of Ukraine and its society constitute an overarching long-term project, we remain committed to disbursing support to Ukraine quickly, including to address the immediate and medium-term needs of internally displaced persons scattered across Ukraine. Over fourteen million people have been displaced from their homes, including over six million refugees who have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries. In cooperation with the Government of Ukraine, we will enhance our support in the provision of short- and medium-term housing, rebuilding civilian and energy infrastructure, and strengthening access for a range of support services such as psycho-social, health, education, and social protection support for those displaced and affected.
We underscore the significant disruptions to Ukrainian health systems caused by the Russian war of aggression, with hundreds of hospitals and health facilities deliberately damaged and destroyed by attacks, and with thousands of health workers being displaced. Millions of displaced people currently have limited or no access to health services, and people are dying because of disrupted life-saving treatments. We are committed to supporting the Government of Ukraine in their continued efforts to protect the health of the Ukrainian people from public health threats, respond to essential and evolving health needs, and air recovery of the health systems impacted by the assault and strained by the crisis.
The G7 pays tribute to the unwavering resilience of Ukraine's civil society, including women's rights organizations and movements, and its people, and acknowledge the significance of building strong, resilient societies, including through partnership, against the external destabilisation by authoritarian regimes. We support the Ukrainian people's heroic resistance as part of a wider struggle, in support of the right to self-determination, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Those values are unequivocally shared and upheld by the Group of Seven. We therefore note that Ukraine belongs to the European family and shares a common set of values, and acknowledge the European aspirations of Ukraine.
We acknowledge that while Ukraine is bearing the brunt of the consequences, social and economic impacts of Russia's war of aggression are being felt in neighbouring countries as well. As G7, we will therefore extend our continued support to Ukraine's neighbours and our partners in the region. In particular, we strongly appreciate the solidarity and the efforts of all countries in hosting refugees fleeing Ukraine. Moldova in particular is experiencing refugee movements and must be supported in its endeavours to protect refugees fleeing Ukraine. In addition, Moldova and Georgia are to be supported in their long-term socio-economic, political and economic stabilisation, as well as in making them more resilient to external destabilisation.
We underscore the need to safeguard the rights of at-risk and especially vulnerable populations in Ukraine and neighbouring states, including human rights defenders, independent journalists, persons with intellectual or physical disabilities, ethnic minorities, LGBTQI+ persons, and older people, in addition to those unable to flee besieged areas. We are especially concerned about those who remain left behind, and are being cut off from support, unable to access lifesaving assistance.
As G7 Development Ministers, we acknowledge the short- and long-term effects of Russia's war of aggression on partner countries of the Global South, as additional pressure is put on political systems and populations affected by an already dire situation caused by the pandemic, climate change, biodiversity loss, economic hardship, and other conflicts. Russia´s war of aggression against Ukraine is exacerbating disruptions of global supply chains, causing rising prices for critical minerals, fossil fuels and energy services, but also driving up prices for agricultural and food commodities and fertilizers, and is therefore worsening an already strained global food security situation. Against this backdrop, we want to reaffirm our continuous support on our path of accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
We are particularly concerned about the global impact of Russia's war of aggression on the rise in regional and global food insecurity and malnutrition, poverty and other inequalities within and beyond the region, and notably of its impact on countries affected by pre-existing humanitarian crises. The consequences will further worsen food insecurity and malnutrition around the globe, where up to 40 million people could face increased levels of food insecurity. We fully endorse the Statements made by the G7 Agricultural Ministers on 11 March and 14 May and welcome the G7 Foreign Ministers "Commitments on the Global Food Security Consequences of Russia's War of Aggression against Ukraine".
We remain determined to do what is necessary to prevent and respond to the evolving global food security crisis, which includes providing continued support to our partner countries in the Global South, and will make coherent use of all stakeholder instruments and funding mechanisms to address food security and nutrition. We will support the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance, and will address the causes and consequences of the global food crises through a Global Alliance for Food Security, officially launched at the G7 Development Ministers meeting, and other efforts, with the aim of transforming political commitments into concrete actions as planned by various international initiatives such as the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) and key regional outreach initiatives, including towards African and Mediterranean countries. The Alliance will bring together like-minded countries and players that want to lead the way and engage in agile, flexible cooperation fighting the imminent global food crisis. We stress the importance of all humanitarian and development stakeholders working coherently to protect countries with humanitarian crises from rising food insecurity and malnutrition, through increased and prioritised support to anticipate and respond to crises and to strengthen resilience against crises. We will keep the crisis on the political agenda, coordinate our support, offer political advice and provide far-sighted scenario projections in order to better manage the phases of the crisis that are to be expected in 2022 and beyond.
We underscore that spikes in food, commodity, and energy prices can drive global fragility and instability. Food price inflation is a major concern, especially for the poor, as it reduces purchasing power and increases poverty. Increasing prices for food, combined with rising input costs, such as for fertilizers, threaten future agricultural productivity. We therefore support the endeavours of our partner countries to accelerate the reduction of our reliance on fossil fuels, and maintain progress in their just energy transition. We are committed to boosting our partner countries' resilience against external shocks before, during and after social and economic crises, including by strengthening local sustainable agriculture and food systems and social safety nets. In the current crises, strong and coordinated development cooperation will be stabilising in the near, medium and longer terms.
We also underline the disproportionate impact of this war and in conflicts around the world on women and girls, as well as on men and boys. Women and children face significant risks of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, exploitation and abuse, and lack of access to lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services, and suffer disproportionally from the socio-economic consequences of war. In this context, we commit to protect the sexual and reproductive rights of all, as well as to support increased access to sexual and reproductive health services and assistance to victims and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking, especially for women and girls, and LGBTQI+ persons. Recognising women's critical role and contribution on the front line and in communities, we collectively commit to provide targeted support to the women and girls in Ukraine and in host countries. At the same time, the G7 commits to promote women's full, effective, equal and meaningful participation and strengthen their role as active agents of peace and key players in the long-term recovery and reconstruction of the country. The specific role of youth in peacebuilding will also have to be considered in due course, not least through demobilisation and reintegration of men and women who are fighting in the conflict.

Source: Official website of Germany's 2017 G7 presidency

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