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The World Agreed to Stop Using Food as a Weapon. It Hasn’t.

CFR | 2026-04-27 | diplomacy

Topics: China, Climate, Middle East, Russia, Trade, Ukraine, United States, Diplomacy

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English Summary

The article argues that the deliberate weaponization of food—through blocking aid or targeting infrastructure—is a growing, global trend that operates with near impunity, despite international legal prohibitions. This crisis is exacerbated by the decline of global humanitarian funding and systemic failures within international governance, particularly the political deadlock and veto power within the UN Security Council. Strategically, the report calls for a shift toward strengthening accountability mechanisms, including targeted sanctions and independent monitoring, while also advocating for the diversification of aid funding away from traditional state-led models.

中文摘要

本文論述,將糧食作為武器進行蓄意運用——無論是透過阻斷援助或攻擊基礎設施——已成為一種日益普遍的全球趨勢,且儘管國際法律有明令禁止,此類行為卻能近乎逍遙法外。此危機的加劇,源於全球人道資金的衰退,以及國際治理體系中的系統性失能,特別是聯合國安全理事會內部的政治僵局和否決權。從戰略角度來看,本報告呼籲轉向強化問責機制,包括實施定向制裁和獨立監測,同時也倡議將援助資金來源多元化,擺脫傳統國家主導的模式。

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