The Right to Food (RTF) and International Trade: Legal Perspectives Amidst the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Right to Food (RTF) and international trade have long been interconnected, with global trade playing a vital role in ensuring food security and economic stability. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Right to Food Guidelines (2004) emphasized the importance of international trade in promoting food availability, reducing hunger, and fostering economic growth. Additionally, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture underscores the commitment of states to avoid market restrictions and trade distortions that could negatively impact food supply chains.

However, the Russia-Ukraine war has significantly altered this narrative, causing severe disruptions in global food supply. Before the conflict, Russia and Ukraine accounted for nearly 25% of the world's grain exports. Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports has severely limited Ukraine’s export potential, contributing to a global food crisis, rising food prices, and increased pressure on international trade systems. Despite international sanctions, Russia remained defiant, further exacerbating global food shortages.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, emerged as a crucial diplomatic effort to facilitate grain exports from Ukraine and stabilize global food markets. This initiative has highlighted the significance of food security in international trade, humanitarian law, and maritime law, reinforcing the necessity of safeguarding the Right to Food as a fundamental human right.

Using a doctrinal legal research approach, this article explores the interconnections between the Right to Food (RTF), international trade law, and global humanitarian policies. It argues that states have a legal duty to respect, protect, and fulfill the Right to Food, which is essential for ensuring international peace, economic stability, and sustainable trade relations.

Moreover, the Black Sea Grain Initiative serves as a case study demonstrating how diplomatic negotiations and multilateral agreements can preserve global trade and food security. While this initiative has been viewed as a partial solution to the crisis, it has provided a framework for future international cooperation on trade and food security.